Abstract: 　Objective To evaluate the effect of allicin alone or combined with SMZco on murine toxoplasmosis by a specific, rapid, and sensitive PCR technique. Methods 147 mice were infected with 2×10~4 tachyzoites intraperitoneally and divided into 5 groups at random. Each group was divided into two sub-groups except an untreated group. One sub- group was used to get samples for PCR test and the other for observing the survival duration. The therapeutic grouping was as follows: group A, a combination of allicin and SMZco administered orally for 7 days and continued by allicin alone till 21 days; group B, the combination administered for 14 days and continued with allicin till 21 days; group C, allicin alone for 21 days; group D, SMZco alone for 7 days; group E, untreated control. The dosage was: SMZco 400 mg/
kg·d and al- licin 35 mg/ (kg·d). PCR test was used to detect the parasites in samples of liver and blood from infected mice at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40 and 50 days after infection. Results Parasites were eliminated in the blood because no signal was seen in all the blood samples except for samples from group C at day 5 after infection. From day 10 after infection until the end of the experiment, no amplification of DNA was seen in all the samples. As for liver samples, signals were clear at day 5 post infection. From day 10 post infection till the day 50 post-infection, parasites were still detected, but the PCR products de- creased significantly than that of day 5 post-infection. Result showed that a combination of SMZco with allicin provided a significant protection. SMZco alone was also effective, but allicin alone was not. Conclusion When SMZco is used in combination with allicin, a much higher efficacy is received in the treatment of acute murine toxoplasmosis.

Key words: toxoplasmosis, polymerase chain reaction(PCR), allicin, sulfamethoxazole complex(SMZco)