Fig. 1.

Schematic diagram of the experimental protocol in mice. The mice were divided into seven groups (n = 6). All mice except control were immunized on days 0, 7 and 14 by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 50.0 μg chicken ovalbumin (OVA) emulsified in 1.0 mg aluminum hydroxide adjuvant in a total volume of 100 μl of PBS. Mice in groups I, II, III, and IV were fed via oral gavage with 10%, 40% and 80% v/v honey (10 μl/g body weight) and dexamethasone (DXN) at 3 mg/kg respectively at days 23–27. Groups V and control received PBS only while group VI received no treatment. On days 14, 25, 26 and 27 mice were anesthetized and challenged by intranasal instillations of 100 μg OVA in 50 μl PBS. All mice were sacrificed on day 28.