IMMUNOMODULATION EFFECT OF LEVAMISOLE AND IMMULITE ON UTERINE MICROBIAL PICTURE IN REPEAT BREEDING COWS

Abstract

Forty (40) cyclic non breeding cows presented at lVCC were assigned to four equal (10) groups Levamisole
s/c. three injections at weekly interval@ 2.5 mg/kg body weight (group I), lmmulite an herbal drug 20 ml orally for
1 0 days (group II), combination therapy of levamisole + immulite with same dose schedule (group Ill) was administered
Ten animals subjected to saline uterine lavage (60 ml lukewarm normal saline) served as control (group IV} The
total serum immunoglobulin (lg) and uterine bacterial load were estimated at estrus before initiation of treatment
and at subsequent estrus following treatments. The conception rate for each treatment regimen was also evaluated
The pretreatment total lg values (gms I di) were 1.95±0.07, 1.93±0.05, 1.90±0.06, 1.91±06 in group I, II, Ill and IV
respectively with corresponding post treatment value* of 2 .3 7 ±0.04, 2.16±0 .05, 2.46±0. 05 and 1. 75±0. 05. The post
treatment values in different experimental groups except control were significantly elevated (P<0.01) than their pre
treatment count1:rparts The post treatment values within groups showed highly significant variation (P<0.01) on
comparision between various groups except between group I and group Ill. The uterine bacterial load (millions/ml)
in pre treatment sample did not differ significantly within groups and remained within a range of 8.38±0.29 (group
II) to 8.78±0.30 (group Ill) where as post treatment bacterial count differed significantly (P<0.01) and averaged
between 0.32 (group I) to 3.83 (group IV). In all the experimental groups the post treatment bacterial count
significantly {P<0.01) reduced compared to their pre treatment values The test of significance of post treatment
uterine bacterial load between various experimental groups recorded highly significant difference (P<0.01) except
between group I and group Ill The overall conception rate was highest (70 per cent) in group 111 subject to combined
therapy of levamisole and immulite followed by 60%, 50% and 40% in levamisole (group I), lmmulite (group II) and
control (group IV), respectively. However, no significant variation in conception rate was observed by chi square
analysis The significant rise in total serum lg, reduction in bacterial load in post treatment sampling with better
conception rate of levamisole and immulite combined group was found to be most effective followed by levamisole
alone in comparison to other mode of therapies.