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

• Published in: Journal of pharmacopuncture Vol. 20; no. 2; pp. 112 - 118
• Main Authors: Hegazi, Ahmed Gaffer, Al Guthami, Fayez Mohammed, Al Gethami, Ahmed Faiz, El Fadaly, Hassan Ali
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 2017
• Subjects: Capparis spinosa honey; Saudi Arabia; cytokines; Toxoplasma gundii
• ISSN: 2093-6966; 2234-6856

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, the levels of the sera cytokines ($IFN-{\gamma}$, IL-1 and IL-6) were consistently higher at day 7 post-infection in the infected rats treated with oral supplements of Capparis spinosa honey. Conclusion: Orally administered supplements of Capparis spinosa honey increased both the antibody titer and the cytokines ($IFN-{\gamma}$, IL-1 and IL-6) levels in rats infected with T. gondii.