ABSTRACT
One of the major functions of the immune system is anti-bacterial defence mediated among others by non-specific immunity (macrophages, granulocytes). Echinacea purpurea extracts are widely used in prophylaxis and therapy of various infections, mainly the respiratory tract, in animals and humans. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of prophylactic use of Echinacea purpurea extract on the development of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in various strains of mice and on some parameters of non-specific and also specific cellular immunity. Mice expressed various, depending on the strain used, susceptibility to infection. Echinacea feeding resulted in diminishing of bacteria number in livers of C57Bl/6 (susceptible strain) as well as B6C3F1 (relative resistant strain) mice. Echinacea feeding of the second relative resistant strain (BALB/c x C3H) F1 resulted in stimulation of granulocytes chemiluminescent and lymphocytes proliferative response.
Subject(s)
Adjuvants, Immunologic/pharmacology , Echinacea , Immune System/drug effects , Phytotherapy , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Pseudomonas Infections/immunology , Adjuvants, Immunologic/administration & dosage , Administration, Oral , Animals , Granulocytes/drug effects , Immunity, Cellular/drug effects , Liver/cytology , Liver/microbiology , Lymphocytes/drug effects , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mice, Inbred Strains , Plant Extracts/administration & dosage , Pseudomonas aeruginosa/classification , Pseudomonas aeruginosa/immunology , Pseudomonas aeruginosa/pathogenicityABSTRACT
The effect of Alchinal (a complex preparation consisting of three substances: Echinacea purpurea extract, Allium sativum extract, cocoa) on the development of Trichinella spiralis infection in mice was studied. The preparation was administered to the animals orally, twice a day in 30 microl doses for 10 days after infecting mice with Trichinella larvae (500 larvae per mouse). It was demonstrated that after Alchinal administration, the number of adult forms (10 dpi--days post infection) and muscular larvae (36 dpi) significantly decreased. It is suggested that the remedy studied causes antiparasitic immunity enhancement in mice. Modulation of immunity by individual component(s) and/or joint action of the substances contained in Alchinal increases the antiparasitic defence of the organism.
Subject(s)
Adjuvants, Immunologic/pharmacology , Phytotherapy , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Plants, Medicinal , Trichinellosis/immunology , Adjuvants, Immunologic/administration & dosage , Administration, Oral , Animals , Cacao , Echinacea , Garlic , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Plant Extracts/administration & dosage , Trichinella spiralis/immunology , Trichinella spiralis/pathogenicityABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to estimate the development of P. aeruginosa infection in mice infected with T. spiralis or T. pseudospiralis. The investigations were carried out on the following strains of mice: C57Bl, C3H and B6C3F1. 20 days post parasitic infection P.aeruginosa were administrated by inhalation or by intraperitoneal injection. After 4 hrs development of infection in mice was evaluated (the number of bacteria in lung or in the liver tissue were counted by plating). It was found that the bacterial infection developed with the highest rate in C3H mice followed by C57B1/6, in comparison with control mice. In C3H mice infected with T. pseudospiralis, the number of bacteria was higher in lung and liver tissue, in comparison with those infected with T. spiralis. In B6C3F1 hybrid the infection rate was significantly lower after intraperitoneal administration in T. spiralis infected mice. In our experiments, the development of P. aeruginosa infection in mice with trichinellosis was dependent on the strain of mice and the routes of bacteria administration.
