Abstract

To determine the optimal dosage regimen for compound Kushen powder in treating white scour of piglets, a dose screening trial and field test were conducted, providing a scientific basis for its safe clinical application. In the dose screening trial, 100 piglets naturally affected by white scour were randomly divided into five groups. Compound Kushen powder was administered orally in three different dosage groups twice a day for five consecutive days, in addition to a positive drug control group, an infection control group, and a blank control group. The clinical efficacy of compound Kushen powder in treating white scour of piglets was evaluated by calculating the therapeutic index based on the score of symptoms. In the field efficacy test, 60 naturally affected piglets were randomly divided into two groups, with 30 animals in each group. Compound Kushen powder was orally administered twice a day at a dose of 0.5 g/kg bw/d for 5 d. The therapeutic index was calculated based on the clinical symptoms of white scour in the piglets, and the clinical efficacy of the compound Kushen powder was verified. The results showed that the cure rates of the high and medium dose groups of compound Kushen powder after 5 d of administration were 85.0 % and 80.0 %, which were significantly higher than those of the positive control group (Zhilisan) and the low dose group (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in the overall effectiveness rate among the high-dose group, the intermediate-dose group, and the positive drug control group (p>0.05). In the field efficacy test, the cure rate of the compound Kushen powder treatment was 80.0 %, and the overall effectiveness rate was 93.3 %, slightly surpassing the cure rate of 70.0 % and the overall effectiveness rate of 86.73 % in the positive drug control group. The average symptom scores in the compound Kushen powder treatment group were lower than those in the positive drug control group, but the difference was not significant (p>0.05). From the 4th d onwards, the symptom scores in the high and medium-dose groups were significantly lower than those in the positive drug control group (p<0.05). The results indicated that the compound Kushen powder, at the clinically recommended dose of 0.5 g/kg bw/d, administered twice daily for five consecutive days, had a better therapeutic effect on white scour of piglets, and was superior to the positive control drug in alleviating or eliminating the symptoms of white scour of piglets.