Retno Sri Iswari, R. Susanti, Muchamad Dafip
Malaria is a global disease and kills over 30 % to 40 % of children in endemic areas or developing countries, including Indonesia. Healing rates of malaria is affected by micronutrient body consumption such as vitamin A. Vitamin A plays an important role in enhancing the immune system. Vitamin A deficiency may weaken the body's resistance to infectious diseases. This study aims to examine potent dose of vitamin A that induces an immune response as an immunomodulator using experimental mice infected with Plasmodium berghei through cellular immunity parameters analysis. This research was an experimental laboratory, designed as Post Test-Only Control Group Design. Experimental male Swiss Strain mice, which were eight weeks old, healthy and weighed 28.80 g to 31.20 g, were treated with standard feeding and drinking through ad libitum. A total of 24 mice which had been adapted for a week were randomly divided into four groups: K (control); P1 (solvent of vitamin A); P2 (treated with vitamin A and doses of 3 000 IU) and P3 (treated with vitamin A and doses of 6 000 IU) for examination of the cellular immune response. Oral administration of vitamin A was given one week before and 1 h after infection. All mice were infected with 107 cell · ml-1 Plasmodium berghei intraperitoneally on 15 d. On the 25 d, all mice were killed and examined for the level of IL-12, IFN-γ levels and macrophage phagocytosis index. Test results were analyzed by ANOVA with significance limit < 0.05. Result showed that vitamin A improved cellular immune response characterized by increasing levels of IL-12, IFN-γ and macrophage phagocytosis index. This study also showed that vitamin A was potential to be developed as a cellular immunomodulator to fight against malaria with the optimal dose is 6 000 IU. © 2016 Author(s).
Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Science, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Kampus Sekaran, Gunungpati, Semarang, Jawa Tengah, 50229, Indonesia; Master of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Diponegro, RS Dr. Kariadi Semarang, Jalan Dr. Soetomo No. 18, Semarang, Jawa Tengah, 50224, Indonesia
