Open AccessSenna occidentalis leaf extract possesses antitrypanosomal activity and ameliorates the trypanosome-induced anemia and organ damage
Author(s) -
Mohammed Auwal Ibrahim,
A. B. Aliyu,
Abdullahi Balarabe Sallau,
Bashir Musa,
Isa Yunusa,
Talha Umar
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
pharmacognosy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 0976-4836
pISSN - 0974-8490
DOI - 10.4103/0974-8490.65513
Subject(s) - trypanosoma brucei , parasitemia , creatinine , anemia , pharmacology , biology , in vivo , traditional medicine , biochemistry , medicine , immunology , malaria , plasmodium falciparum , microbiology and biotechnology , gene
The in vitro and in vivo antitrypanosomal effects of the ethanol extract of Senna occidentalis leaf were investigated. The crude extract exhibited an in vitro activity against Trypanosoma brucei brucei as it completely eliminated parasites' motility within 10 minutes postincubation with 6.66 mg/ml of effective extract concentration. The extract was further used to treat experimentally T. brucei brucei infected rats at concentrations of 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight, beginning on day 5 post infections (p.i.). At the termination of the experiment on Day 11 p.i., the extract significantly (P < 0.05) kept the parasitemia lower than was recorded in the infected untreated rats. All the infected animals developed anemia, the severity of which was significantly (P < 0.05) ameliorated by the extract treatment. The infection caused significant (P < 0.05) increases in serum alanine and aspartate aminotransferases as well as serum urea and creatinine levels. However, treatment of infected animals with the extract significantly (P < 0.05) prevented the trypanosome-induced increase in these biochemical indices. Furthermore, the T. brucei infection caused hepatomegaly and splenomegaly that were significantly (P < 0.05) ameliorated by the extract administration. It was concluded that orally administered ethanol extract of S. occidentalis leaf possessed anti-T. brucei brucei activity and could ameliorate the disease-induced anemia and organ damage.