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.
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.