.
Changes inimmune response or in intestinal physiology could be proposed as mechanisms of action of clove, indirectly affecting microbial populations.
In the present study, we observed an increase in the number of IEL and density of cells in the lamina propria.
Whether a change on intestinal cell number is related to an improvement or an impairment of immune function is difficult to ascertain.
A greater presence of lymphocytes in the epithelium is normally associated with an improvement of the immune response because these cells are involved in the identification of antigens and the modulation of the epithelial response (Matsumoto etal.,1999).