The Problem Protozoan parasites of the genus Eimeria can cause a gut disease called coccidiosis. The economic losses associated to Eimeria infections in chickens were recently reassessed to the level of about 13 billion dollars per year worldwide. E. tenella, one of the most virulent avian species, colonizes epithelial cells in chicken caecum. The severity of the disease extends from morbidity characterized by weight loss and severe diarrhoea with bleeding to mortality. Prevention is mainly based on the use of coccidiostatic feed-additives and anticoccidial vaccines. However, coccidiostats face resistance problems and the increasingly growing consumer demand for more natural solutions requires the development of alternatives. Moreover, live attenuated vaccine strains, used for poultry production, are suspected to be associated with a transient decrease in performances observed between day 1 and 10 of age and potentially related to a deleterious inflammatory response of the gut. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the prophylaxis of coccidiosis and to provide immunomodulatory support for anticoccidial vaccines. How we investigated or researched the problem In this context, we evaluated the use of natural products as alternatives to current control strategies and to the loss of performances of vaccinated chickens. A bibliographic meta-analysis was performed on 250 publications from which 70 candidates were selected: 45 for their antiparasitic activity against E. tenella and 25 for immunomodulatory properties (vaccine support). Results Antiparasitic activity: the capacity of these extracts to inhibit parasite invasion was studied in vitro. 13 candidates showed a significant decrease in parasite invasion (95% for the most efficient at a non-cytotoxic concentration). Immunomodulatory properties: 2 candidates possessed a significant immunomodulatory ability. Implications / Conclusions These results provide potential alternatives to coccidiostats in control of avian coccidiosis and new potential natural immunomodulators as a support for anticoccidial vaccines.