Migration Of Ancylostoma caninum Larvae Into Lungs Of Mice Fed Allium sativum

Abstract

Immature Ancylostomatidae migrate in animal host just after penetration and may show predilection for the lungs during early development. This peregrination is facilitated by parasite antioxidant. It was hypothesized that Allium sativum (garlic) possesses antioxidants which may supplement those of parasites to preferentially promote accumulation in the lungs. Two randomly selected groups of Swiss Albino Wistar mice were therefore infected with 1000 infective larvae of Ancylostoma caninum/mouse. Test mice received 250mg Allium sativum/kg body weight daily in addition. Larval counts after autopsy of the lungs and tracheas from average of three mice from each group was obtained daily for ten days. The greatest number of larval migration to the lungs occurred on the 3rd day post infection (PI), declining rapidly thereafter. Although there was no significant difference at the 0.5% α level, data obtained from the lungs and tracheas revealed double reversal in the former and tripled reversal in the latter. It was proposed that parasite accumulate in the lungs to enact ‘jumping'.

KEY WORDS: Allium sativum, lungs, Ancylostoma caninum.

Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences Vol.11(2) 2005: 189-192