Abstract
The aim of this study is to find out the effects of pyrimethamine (PYR) and sulphadiazine (SDZ) combined with levamisole and echinacea on the survival of mice infected with T. gondii. We have used 99 specific pathogen-free Balb/c mice in this study. All mice were infected intraperitoneally with 105 T. gondii tachyzoite and divided into 11 groups, each including 9 mice. Except the control group, oral treatment was initiated in all groups 24 hours later and maintained for 10 days. The treatment regimens included dual combinations of PYR; 6.25 and 12.5mg/kg/day, SDZ; 100 and 200 mg/kg/day; triple combinations of levamisole; 2.5 mg/kg/day or echinacea; 130 and 260 mg/kg/day and echinacea alone at 130 and 260 mg/kg/day doses. We have observed that combination of PYR+SDZ and levamisole at effective treatment doses resulted in a statistically significant increase in survival rate from 33.3% to 88.9%. Similarly, at the half dose of the effective treatment dose, combination of the PYR + SDZ with levamisole increased the survival rate from 0% to 44.4% (p<0.05). Survival rate also increased in the groups treated with the combinations including echinacea; however the difference did not reach statistical significance. The triple combinations including PYR-SDZ-levamisole can be an alternative treatment option in infections caused by T. gondii.
