NFKB1 and inflammatory bowel disease: This is consistent with previous studies showing that Cnidium monnieri extracts inhibit NF-κB activation in inflammatory bowel disease (Mukherjee et al., 2024), and our study further extends this finding by confirming the NF-κB pathway as a key target of CMAE in anti-Eimeria tenella infection—establishing a direct link between the herb’s traditional use and modern molecular mechanisms.