Efficacy of a traditional Chinese medicine compound preparation against artificial infection of Toxoplasma gondii NT strain in mice

The efficacy of a traditional Chinese medicine compound preparation against acute murine toxoplasmosis was evaluated in this study. The minimum lethal dose in mice infected by Toxoplasma gondii was determined. The efficacies of traditional Chinese medicine compound preparation at different doses( 35 g /kg,25 g /kg,15 g /kg) and different doses( 300 mg /kg,200 mg /kg,100 mg /kg) of sulfamonomethoxine sodium were compared to screen optimal drug dose. Then the efficacies at optimal drug dose were further confirmed as the following procedures. Each mouse except those in negative control was intraperitoneally inoculated with 25 tachyzoites of T. gondii NT strain. Four hours later,each mouse except those in negative control group and challenged untreated group were treated with traditional Chinese medicine compound preparation( 25 g /kg) or sulfamonomethoxine sodium( 200 mg /kg) by intragastric administration,twice per day for 5 days,respectively. The efficacies of drugs were assessed by survival rates and mean survival days of mouse,numbers of tachyzoite in peritoneal exudates,degree of pathological changes of major tissues and activities of SOD in serum. The results showed that there were no significant differences( P0. 05) in survival rates and mean survival days of mouse,and numbers of tachyzoite in peritoneal exudates among the three groups,which were treated with 35 g /kg or 25 g /kg traditional Chinese medicine compound preparation and 200 mg /kg sulfamonomethoxine sodium,respectively. The further test showed that the results of above indexes were similar between 25 g /kg of traditional Chinese medicine compound preparation and 200 mg /kg of sulfamonomethoxine sodium,and both treatments could lighten the degree of pathological changes of liver,lung and spleen. It is concluded that traditional Chinese medicine compound preparation had a certain effect against T. gondii,and the efficacy was best at the dose of 25 g /kg.