Abstract
BackgroundAfrican trypanosomiasis affects both humans and livestock in sub-Saharan countries including Ethiopia. Due to limitations to current chemotherapy, there is an urgent need for the development of new, safe, cheap and effective drugs. In the present study, the leaf of Dovyalis abyssinica was tested for its in vivo antitrypanosomal activity against Trypanosoma congolense field isolate on mice.MethodsThe leaf of D. abyssinica was macerated using dichloromethane and methanol. The extracts at doses of 250, 200, 150 and 100 mg/kg body weight were administered intraperitonealy daily for 7 days to mice infected with T. congolense. Following administration, parasitemia, packed cell volume, rectal temperature, body weight and survival time were monitored.ResultsAdministration of dichloromethane and methanol extracts at 250 and 200 mg/kg reduced (p < 0.05) parasitemia and rectal temperature, and improved (p < 0.05) PCV, mean body weight, and mean survival time compared to dimethylsulfoxide treatment.ConclusionCrude dichloromethane and methanol leaf extracts of D. abyssinica displayed anti-trypanosomal activity that may serve as lead for the development of effective alternative antitrypanosomal drugs.
Highlights
African trypanosomiasis affects both humans and livestock in sub-Saharan countries including Ethiopia
Effect of extracts on parasitemia Treatment with the extracts resulted in reduction in the level of parasitemia generally between days 14 and 22 compared to the negative control, in which there was a progressive rise in parasitemia throughout the 2 weeks monitoring period
In this study the activity of crude DCM and MOH leaf extracts of D. abyssinica were studied in terms of in vivo parameters, including parasitemia, packed cell volume, rectal temperature, body weight (BW) and mean survival time of infected mice
Summary
African trypanosomiasis affects both humans and livestock in sub-Saharan countries including Ethiopia. The protozoal species Trypanosoma brucei rhodesience and T.b. gambience cause a fly-born severe Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) or sleeping sickness in Africa probably since many centuries ago [1, 2]. Effectiveness of current treatment is limited by many factors [7,8,9], necessitating the search for new improved drugs. Because those in the lower socioeconomic class are disproportionately affected by the disease, there is a great need for the development of less toxic and more effective drugs and affordable agents [10, 11]
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