Abstract
OBJECTIVES: In this study, the adjuvant activity of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of propolis was examined on the inactivated herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1). MATERIALS AND METHODS: BALB/C mice were administered with inactivated (HSV-1; the KOS strain) plus alcoholic and aqueous extracts, followed by assessment of the cellular and humoral immune responses. RESULTS: Alcoholic and aqueous extracts, as an adjuvant, revealed a significant increase in lymphocyte proliferation and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses versus the HSV-1 group. In addition, HSV-1 plus alcoholic extract showed a remarkable increase in IFN-γ cytokine and IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio. On the other hand, both alcoholic and aqueous extracts in the HSV-1 vaccine suppressed the IL-4 cytokine response as compared with the HSV-1 vaccine. In addition, HSV-1 plus alcoholic extract showed a significant increment in IgG(1), IgG(2a), and IgG(2b) isotypes as compared with the HSV-1 vaccine. CONCLUSION: Propolis extracts seem to modulate the immune response against inactivated HSV-1 model and can be used as a suitable vaccine adjuvant or a component of a complex adjuvant against infectious diseases.