ABSTRACT
Objectives To investigate the activity of Egyptian propolis extracts (ethanol and water) on cryptosporidiosis in experimentally infected dexamethasone-immunosuppressed rats. Methods A total of 180 male rats (190–220) g BWt were randomly divided into 9 equal groups (G1–G9). Groups of rats were kept as (G1): normal control, (G2–G9): immunosuppressed with dexamethasone and (G3-G9): infected with Cryptosporidium oocysts. Rats from (G4–G9) were given orally ethanol and water extract of propolis (at a dose of 50 mg/kg BWt) and nitazoxanide (standard anti-cryptosporidial drug at a dose of 100 mg/kg BWt) to infected rats with different regimes. Faecal pellets were collected from all groups to monitor oocysts shedding from the 2nd to the 15th day post infection. At the end of the experiment, blood was collected from all groups for determination of leukogram and serum proteins. Ileum specimens were also examined histopathologically. Results The highest reduction of oocysts shedding in faecal samples was 88% in rats prophylactically treated with propolis ethanol extract at the 4th dpi, and in rats prophylactically treated with water extract of propolis, was 91% at the 6th dpi. There was a marked increase in neutrophils count and α
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES@#To investigate the activity of Egyptian propolis extracts (ethanol and water) on cryptosporidiosis in experimentally infected dexamethasone-immunosuppressed rats.@*METHODS@#A total of 180 male rats (190-220) g BWt were randomly divided into 9 equal groups (G1-G9). Groups of rats were kept as (G1): normal control, (G2-G9): immunosuppressed with dexamethasone and (G3-G9): infected with Cryptosporidium oocysts. Rats from (G4-G9) were given orally ethanol and water extract of propolis (at a dose of 50 mg/kg BWt) and nitazoxanide (standard anti-cryptosporidial drug at a dose of 100 mg/kg BWt) to infected rats with different regimes. Faecal pellets were collected from all groups to monitor oocysts shedding from the 2nd to the 15th day post infection. At the end of the experiment, blood was collected from all groups for determination of leukogram and serum proteins. Ileum specimens were also examined histopathologically.@*RESULTS@#The highest reduction of oocysts shedding in faecal samples was 88% in rats prophylactically treated with propolis ethanol extract at the 4th dpi, and in rats prophylactically treated with water extract of propolis, was 91% at the 6th dpi. There was a marked increase in neutrophils count and α- and β-globulins levels in infected rats treated with both extracts, while a significant decrease was detected in lymphocytes compared to the infected non treated group. β-Globulin level markedly increased in the rats administered nitazoxanide. Histopathological changes were observed in the ileum of rats infected with Cryptosporidium.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Egyptian propolis extracts have an activity on cryptosporidiosis in rats. Moreover, propolis modulated the immunity in dexamethasone-immunosuppressed rats.
ABSTRACT
This study was undertaken to assess the effect of certain insecticides [viz.; avermectin, imidacloprid, methomyl, triazophos] and their binary combinations on the growth rate and weights of internal organs in albino rats, as well as to analyze the joint action of the tested mixtures against the rate of growth. The treatment with avermectin [at 1/10 LD[50]] caused weekly body weight gain in male and female rats very higher than those recorded for the control rats, while the treatment with imidacloprid [at 1/5 LD[50]] induced an opposite result. Also, most of the other tested treatments reduced the rate of growth. Relative to the body weights, a number of treatments [e.g. triazophos; avermectin + imidacloprid] were found to produce increases in the weights of heart, liver and spleen. Other treatments, such as methomyl [at 1/10 and 1/5 LD[50s]], caused obvious decreases in the relative weight of kidneys, testes, and ovaries, while the relative weight of lungs did not change significantly by the tested insecticides; either given singly or in paired combinations. The results of joint action analysis revealed that the most effective mixture inducing potentiation against the growth rate of male and female rats was entitled to the combination of avermectin + methomyl [Relative Interaction Index ; RII = 0.10 and 0.32 respectively]. Antagonistic effect was obtained with the mixture imidacloprid + triazophos against female rats [RII=1.15]