RESUMO
The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the anti-inflammatory effects of L-mimosine on chronic inflammation, by investigating its effect on the immunological response of BALB/c mice infected with the nematode parasite Trichinella spiralis. Specific anti-parasite immunoglobulins (IgG, IgG1 and IgM) were detected by the ELISA method in the serum of both the treated and the untreated animals at different periods of time for 60 days post infection. Two groups consisting of 18 mice each were used. The mice were 6 weeks of age. Both groups were infected with 220 larvae (L1-T. spiralis) per os: one group was administered an intraperitoneal injection of L-mimosine (200 &mgr;g/100 ml/dose) for 27 days (the first injection started 7 days before infection) and the second group was administered an intraperitoneal injection of saline solution (100 &mgr;l/dose). Parasite specific IgG, IgG1 and IgM levels were determined in the sera of infected, untreated mice. The levels of IgG and IgG1 were increased following infection and remained elevated throughout the experimental period, while IgM was significantly decreased on the 50th day post-infection. These levels were found to be lower in the L-mimosine treated infected mice, compared to the untreated mice. The inhibition started from day 10 and continued until day 60. In healthy animals, the production of immunoglobulins was not measurable. Non-infected animals treated with L-mimosine also showed no detectable anti-parasite specific immunoglobulins.
