<em>In Vitro</em> Evaluation of Extracts of Solanum torvum (Solanaceae) Fruits for Anti-Trichomonal Activity

Abstract

Trichomonasis is curable when treated. However there is increasing incidence of resistance to therapeutic drugs. <em>Solanum torvum</em> has several ethnomedicinal applications and therefore a potential source of antiparasitic drugs. The objective of this study was to assess the therapeutic potentials of extracts of fruits of <em>Solanum torvum</em> against <em>Trichomonas gallinarum</em>. Crude methanol extract of Solanum torvum was partitioned into petroleum ether (STF₁), chloroform (STF₂), ethyl acetate (STF₃), aqueous (STF₄) and STF₅ (_precipitate) fractions. STF₁, STF₂ and STF₃ were each subjected to vacuum liquid chromatography to obtain STF_{11- 17}, STF_{21- 28} and STF_{31- 37}. The crude extract STF₀, partition fractions STF_1-5 and sub fractions STF_{11- 17}, STF_{21- 28} STF_{31- 37} were assayed for anti-trichomonal activity. The crude extract, STF₀, at 24 h and 48 h showed LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ of 386.34±17.96, 2168.31±119.43, 85.81±20.10, 324.72±17.73 (μg/mL), respectively. STF₅ (_precipitate) had LD₅₀ and LD₉₀ at 24 and 48 h as 25.84±5.12, 70.36±15.64 and 13.87±1.61, 42.94±6.20 (μg/mL), respectively. STF₁, STF₂ and STF₃ had LD₉₀ at 48h as 72.76±1.72, 119.39±3.90 and 114.54±36.08 (μg/mL) while STF₁₃, STF₁₄, STF₂₃ and STF₃₄ had corresponding values of LD₉₀ at 48h as 67.18±14.90, 88.07±4.78, 89.95±7.99 and 84.03±8.03 (μg/mL). The partition fractions STF₁, STF₂ and STF₃, the VLC sub fractions STF₁₃, STF₁₄, STF₂₃, STF₃₄ and the standard drug did not show significant difference (p>0.05) in their bioactivities. It is concluded that methanol extracts of the fruits of Solanum torvum are a potential source of drug (s) for the treatment of trichomoniasis.