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

Abstract

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- γ, 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- γ, IL-1 and IL-6) levels in rats infected with T. gondii.