Journal of Clinical and Experimental Investigations

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to study the immunomodulatory activity improvement of levamisole by using lactoferrin when applied to immunosuppressed rat model.
Methods: The study was designed as follows, 140 male albino rats (250-280 g) 14 weeks old were used in our work. Rats were randomly divided into seven groups, 20 in each. The group I was kept as a control, group II was given cyclophosphamide (CYP) at a single intraperitoneal dose of (250 mg/kg body weight), group III CYP and lactoferrin (Lac) treated group, group IV orally administrated Lac only (0.5%) in drinking water, group V treated with CYP and levamisole, group VI administrated levamisole orally at a dose of (2.5 mg/kg body weight) and group VII was given CYP, Lac and levamisole. Animals were sacrificed and two separate blood samples were collected after 21 days from the beginning of the experiment for measuring the total and differential leukocyte count, serum total proteins, albumin, alpha globulin, beta globulin and gamma globulin, Nitric oxide (NO) production and lysozyme activity.
Results: CYP group showed significant decrease in the above mentioned parameters, which were improved after administration of both lactoferrin and levamisole.
Conclusion: Our study concluded that lactoferrin improve the immunostimulant effect of levamisole in CYP- immunosuppressed rats.