Garlic Induces a Shift in Cytokine Pattern in Leishmania major‐Infected BALB/c Mice

Abstract

The regulation of T helper (Th)1‐ and Th2‐type cytokine patterns is important in the final outcome of leishmaniasis in human and murine models. We examined the efficacy of garlic therapy or a combination of garlic and an antimonial drug (glucantime) in promoting healing and regulation of Th1/Th2 cytokine patterns in highly susceptible BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania major. Separate groups of infected mice received 20 mg/kg/day garlic, 60 mg/kg/day glucantime or a combination of the two, from day 30 after infection for 2 weeks. An enzyme‐linked immunosorbant assay ( ELISA) was performed on spleen cell culture supernatants for interferon(IFN)‐γ interleukin(IL)‐2, IL‐4 and IL‐10. The results indicate that garlic therapy is more effective than the usual antileishmanial drug in curing the infection. Garlic‐treated mice developed Th1‐type cytokine responses. In contrast, glucantime therapy led to a Th2‐type response in the control group with a lower level of IL‐2. However, a combination of garlic and glucantime treatment was more effective than either treatment alone, and resulted in a Th1‐type response similar to that which developed with garlic treatment. These results suggest that garlic extract in combination with an antimonial drug, may provide effective therapy against L. major. The immunomodulatory properties of garlic were elucidated in terms of shifting the cytokine response to a Th1‐type pattern and therefore causing the protective response.

Therapeutic Effects of Allium sativum and Allium cepa in Schistosoma mansoni experimental infection

“…The antischistosomal effect of either garlic or onion may be attributed to their effect on the host immune response as reported by GHAZANFARI et al(2006). They contain an immunomodulator fraction, which affects the course of infection and shifts the cytokine pattern from Th2-lymphocytesmediated immune response, responsible for granuloma formation, to Th1-lymphocytes -mediated immune responses, responsible for immune resistance (GHAZANFARI et al, 2000). Our data demonstrated that treatment with either garlic, onion and their mixture were effective in considerably reducing worm burden, hepatic and intestinal eggs and ) have implicated TNF-α as the major cytokine responsible for granuloma formation.…”

Evaluation of anti-leishmanial activity of selected Indian plants known to have antimicrobial properties

“…The anti-parasitic effect may be due to causing some physiological changes (Urbina et al 1993), affecting thiol homeostasis and perturbation of the plasma membrane (Gallwitz et al 1999) and resulting in death of the parasite. Interestingly, besides the in vitro anti-leishmanial activity, garlic ingredients are also reported to have immunomodulatory effect in terms of shifting the cytokine response to a Th-1-type pattern and therefore enhance the protective immune response of the host (Ghazanfari et al 2000(Ghazanfari et al , 2006, which is a paramount step in effective containment of leishmaniasis.…”

Enhancement of peritoneal macrophage phagocytic activity against Leishmania major by garlic (Allium Sativum) treatment

“…Previously, we have demonstrated that garlic enhanced delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH), T lymphocyte proliferation and NK cell activity (Ghazanfari et al, 2002;Hassan et al, 2003). We also demonstrated that garlic enhances the T helper-1 (Th1) type cytokine response in an animal model of leishmaniasis (Ghazanfari et al, 2000).…”