author(s)
Tahani SS Al-Azawi and Muhammad Riyadh Alkenany

abstract
The present experiment was investigated to study the complementary effect of vitamin C and Zinc supplementation on some parameters related to the immune system in intact and ovariectomized rabbits. Twenty female rabbits (7-8 weeks) have been used in this study. Ten of them had been subjected to ovariectomy and the other ten were left with intact ovaries. After recovery from the operation and acclimatization, the rabbits were divided into four equal groups as follow: Group one (G1): Intact rabbits received distilled water. Group two (G2): Intact rabbits received complementary vitamin C and Zinc with the dose (10.166 mg/kg/B.W) orally and daily. Group three (G3): Ovariectomized rabbits received distilled water. Group four (G4): Ovariectomized rabbits received complementary vitamin C and Zinc. The daily supplementation of complementary vitamin C and Zinc induces a significant increase in total leukocytes (14.06 and 11.08 × 10³ /mm³) in both intact and ovariectomized rabbits respectively. Moreover, the Arneth^, s index reveals a significant higher percentage of neutrophils of four and five lobes in both supplemented groups. The total percentage of mature cells was (27.9% and 14.1%) for G2 and G4 respectively in comparison with (9.0% and 8.3%) for G1 and G3 respectively. There is a significant increase in eosinophil’s and lymphocytes percentages in Ovariectomized rabbits only. However, the result also revealed a significant increase in total protein and total gamma concentration in both intact and ovariectomized rabbits that supplemented with complementary vitamin C and Zinc. In conclusion, the results from this experiment confirm and for the first time that the complementary vitamin C and Zinc supplementation to rabbits has an important protective role on the immune system in ovariectomized rabbits. This supplementation can overcome the deleterious effect of ovariectomy and ovarian hormones deficiency on bodies' immunity.