A STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF SOME FOOD ITEMS RICH IN ZINC ON IMMUNITY AND RESISTANCE TO MICROBIAL INFECTION IN EXPERIMENTAL MICE

Abstract

Good nutrition requires a diet with a healthy mixture of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals. Proteins are needed for the building up and chemical machinery of our bodies. Zinc is an essential trace mineral in the body, it is essential to body normal functions due to its role in activating the enzyme system or as a cofactor of several enzymes. Zinc may be found in all body tissues, but accumulates in bones rather than in the liver, which is advantageous in microbial infections as it, suppresses the growth of the proliferating microbe via enhancing the white blood cells immune functions.

The present investigation was conducted at the aim of feeding groups of mice on different diets supplemented with different protein sources (liver, spleen, bean, complete sesame seeds, defatted sesame powder and casein as control), with 2 different ratios each (10% & 15%), consequently having a varied Zinc content, to study its effect on the general body performance and its immune resistance against microbial infection and its biochemical and histopathological effects. The study confirmed the following findings: The average daily food intake in groups of mice fed on diets containing protein sources of liver spleen or sesame was