Evaluation of antitrypanosomal and anti inflammatory activities of selected Nigerian medicinal plants in mice

Vo Adelodun,No Omisore,Fo Olorunmola,Ao Adepiti,Jm Agbedahunsi,Ca Elusiyan,Co Adewunmi,Fb Adewoyin

doi:10.4314/ajtcam.v10i6.13

Vo Adelodun, No Omisore + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4314/ajtcam.v10i6.13

Copy DOI

Abstract

The extracts of nine selected Nigerian medicinal plants were investigated on Trypanosoma brucei brucei infected mice. The anti-inflammatory properties of hexane fraction of the most promising U. chamae extract was assessed by acute oedema of the mice paw model while the modulatory effect of the extract on Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity (DTH) response on in vivo leucocytes mobilization was evaluated. 'Dose-probing acute toxicity tests' established an oral and intraperitoneal LD50 for T. ivorensis stem bark as >1600 < 5000 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg respectively, while the oral LD50 of Uvaria. chamae was >5000 mg/kg. Extracts of Khaya senegalensis, Harungana madagascariensis, Terminalia ivorensis, Curcuma longa, Ocimum gratissimum and Alcornea cordifolia showed weak anti-trypanosomal effect and did not exhibit significant clearance in parasitemia at the test dose administered compared with the positive control (Diminal®). However, the leaf extract of U. chamae and its hexane fraction demonstrated a significant response (P < 0.01). The fraction at 1000 mg/kg inhibited oedema by 107%. Uvaria. chamae demonstrated both antitrypanosomal and anti-inflammatory properties by increasing the survival time of infected mice due to reduction in parasitemia caused by T. brucei brucei.

Highlights

Trypanosomosis is a fatal disease of human and domestic animals in tropical Africa and South America spread by the bite of an infected tsetse fly (Glossina Genus) (Fairlamb, 1982)
In furtherance of the efforts on sourcing for novel molecules from natural sources in combating African animal trypanosomosis, previous research on in vivo antitrypanosomal activity is very limited compared to the in vitro experiments, and in the few in vivo studies found in literature, no complete cure without relapses was recorded for plants such as Alstonia boonei bark, Annona senegalensis root, Morinda lucida leaves and Picralima nitida (Wosu and Ibe, 1989)
Since infection models in mice have indicated that African trypanosomosis trigger anti-inflammatory responses (Namangala et al, 2001), the most active partitioned fraction was evaluated for its antiinflammatory response(s) in mice

Summary

Introduction

Trypanosomosis is a fatal disease of human and domestic animals in tropical Africa and South America spread by the bite of an infected tsetse fly (Glossina Genus) (Fairlamb, 1982). It has undergone a dramatic and devastating resurgence within the last two decades (Smith et al, 1998), especially in Sub-Saharan Africa (Welburn et al, 2001). In furtherance of the efforts on sourcing for novel molecules from natural sources in combating African animal trypanosomosis, previous research on in vivo antitrypanosomal activity is very limited compared to the in vitro experiments, and in the few in vivo studies found in literature, no complete cure without relapses was recorded for plants such as Alstonia boonei bark, Annona senegalensis root, Morinda lucida leaves and Picralima nitida (Wosu and Ibe, 1989). Since infection models in mice have indicated that African trypanosomosis trigger anti-inflammatory responses (Namangala et al, 2001), the most active partitioned fraction was evaluated for its antiinflammatory response(s) in mice

Methods

Results

Conclusion