Acute toxicity study and effect of ethanolic leaf extract of <i>Guiera senegalensis</i> J. F. Gmel (combretaceae) on <i>trypanosome Brucei </i> brucei induced pathology in albino rats

Abstract

The current study evaluated the acute toxicity and the effect of crude ethanolic leaf extract of Guiera senegalensis J. F. Gmel (Combretaceae) on Trypanosoma brucei brucei induced pathology in albino rats. A total of sixty five (65) rats of both sexes and varying weights were used in all; 35 for acute toxicity study and 30 for the study of effect of extract on Trypanosoma brucei brucei induced pathology. In the
acute toxicity testing, the thirty five (35) rats were randomly divided into seven  groups (A-G) of five each and administered graded concentrations (100, 200, 400,800, 1600, 3200 and 6400 mg/kg) of the extract intraperitoneally. They were monitored for signs of toxicity including mortality in the 24 hours following administration. Following the determination of LD50 and safe dose, the rats for the study of effect of extract on pathology were similarly divided into six groups (A-F) of five rats each. Rats in groups A-E were individually infected with 4×106 of Trypanosoma brucei brucei intraperitoneally, while those in group F remained uninfected control. The infected rats were later treated on day 4 post infection. Groups A, B and C were treated orally with 100 mg, 300 and 600 mg/kg of the extract of Guiera senegalensis respectively for four consecutive days, while group D was treated intramuscularly with Diminazine aceturate at 3.5 mg/kg once. Rats in groups E and F were not treated during the experiment. The infected rats were  monitored for the establishment of parasitaemia and subsequently; gross and histopathological changes. The extract produced an intraperitoneal LD50 of 2130 mg/kg. Similarly, milder lesions were observed at histopathology in some extract treated groups compared to the infected untreated group, suggesting a dose  dependent extract activity. Conclusively, the extract at the dosages tested appeared to be less or non-toxic and resulted in mild improvement in pathology induced by Trypanasoma brucei brucei.

Key words: Pathology, Toxicity, Guiera senegalensis, Extract, Effect, Trypanosoma