efficacy of the bunium persicum (boiss) essential oil against acute toxoplasmosis in mice model

background: we evaluated the in vivo activity of bunium persicum (boiss) essential oil on infected mice with acute toxoplasmosis. methods: to evaluate prophylactic effects, male nmri mice received b. persicum essential oil at the concentrations of 0.05 and 0.1 ml/kg for 14 days . after 24 h mice were infected intraperitonealy with 1×10 4 tachyzoites of t. gondii, rh strain. in order to investigate therapeutic effects, mice were infected and then received b. persicum oil at the concentrations of 0.05 and 0.1 ml/kg two times a day for 5 days. the time/mean time of death in all infected mice and the number of tachyzoites from infected mice were recorded. results: the time/mean time of death of infected mice was 8 and 9 days after oral administration of b. persicum oil at the concentration of 0.05 and 0.1 ml/kg, respectively ( p <0.05). in contrast, the time/mean time of death control group was 5 days. in addition, b. persicum significantly reduced the mean number of tachyzo­ites compared with control group. the time/mean time of death of infected mice was 6 and 7 days after oral administration of b. persicum essential oil at the concentra­tion of 0.05 and 0.1 ml/kg, respectively. in contrast, the time/mean time of death control group was 5 days. b. persicum especially at the concentration of 0.1 ml/kg significantly reduced the mean number of tachyzoites compared with con­trol group. conclusion: the results showed the potential of b. persicum essential oil as a natu­ral source for the production of new prophylactic agent for use in toxoplasmosis.