Beneficial Effects of Capparis Spinosa Honey on the Immune Response of Rats Infected with Toxoplasma Gundii

• Main Authors: Ahmed Gaffer Hegazi, Fayez Mohammed Al Guthami, Ahmed Faiz Al Gethami, Hassan Ali El Fadaly
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korean Pharmacopuncture Institute 2017-06-01
• Series: Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• Subjects: Capparis spinosa honey; cytokines; Saudi Arabia; Toxoplasma gundii
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.3831/KPI.2017.20.015

Objectives: The Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an intracellular opportunistic protozoan parasite that infects approximately one-third of the human population worldwide. Honey has long been used for treatment of many diseases in folk medicine. Honey has exhibited significant anthelmintic, nematicidal and anti-protozoal activities. This study was conducted to investigate the immunological patterns in rats infected with T. gondii who were treated orally with supplemented 15% Capparis spinosa honey (Saudi Arabia) for a period of 28 days. Methods: Immunoglobulin M, immunoglobulin G, and cytokines were detected by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). In addition, the mortality and the morbidity rates were assessed. Results: Oral administration of Capparis spinosa honey as a natural food additive was experimentally shown to increase the antibody titer; furthermore, compared with the rats in the control group,