Therapeutic efficacy of thymus vulgaris and myristica fragrance houtt (Nutmeg)‎ ethanolic extractagainst toxoplasmosis in murine model

Abstract EN

Toxoplasma gondii is a globally obligate intra-cellular protozoan zoonotic disease.

This study evaluated the efficacy of Thymus vulgaris and Myristica fragrance Houtt (Nutmeg) ethanolic extracts against chronic toxoplasmosis.

A total of fifty laboratory-bred male Swiss Albino mice were infected with Me-49 T.

gondii strain and divided into five groups G1:non infected/non-treated control, G2:infected/non-treated, G3: infected/treated with Thymus vulgaris extract, G4: infected/treated with nutmeg extract and G5:infected and treated with Spiramycin.

Mice were given Thymus and Myristica ethanolic extract 4 days post infection for 14 days then sacrificed 4 weeks after last dose.

Brains and livers were dissected out and processed for histopathological examination.

Tissue cyst count evaluated the efficacy of extracts.

The results showed that mean number of brain cysts was significantly reduced by 47.5% in mice treated with Thymus extract while Myristica extract treated group showed a mild reduction (0.8%).

Thymus effect was near to Spiramycin in cyst reduction (47.5% & 48.89%) respectively.

Brain and liver lesions in Thymus treated mice showed considerable improvement.