Preliminary Investigation on <i>In Vivo</i> Trypanocidal Activity of Hydroethanolic Extracts of <i>Calotropis procera</i> and <i>Parkinsonia aculeata</i>

Abstract

Effect of extracts of Calotropis procera and Parkinsonia aculeata in the treatment of Trypanosoma brucei brucei infected rats was studied. The albino rats were treated for 7 days with 200mg of the plant extracts intraperitoneally (ip) after establishment of parasitaemia. No significant
(p>0.05) changes in weights were observed in all the groups. The results showed that Calotropis procera (root) was 96.43% as effective as Diminazene aceturate (berenil) in clearing parasitaemia. Significant
(p<0.05) improvements in parked cell volume (PCV) were observed in the rats treated with Calotropis procera (root) and berenil. However, Calotropis procera (leaf) and Parkinsonia aculeata (leaf and stem bark) depressed red blood cell production. Total white blood cells (WBC) and differential count did not change significantly (p>0.05) in Calotropis procera (root) and berenil (positive control drug) treated groups. These observations were reversed in leaf and stem bark and leaf extracts of Calotropis procera
and Parkinsonia aculeata, respectively. In conclusion only the root extracts of Calotropis procera has demonstrated effective treatment of  trypanosomiasis, possibly due to its phytochemical contents.

Key words: <i>Parkinsonia aculeata, Calotropis procera, Trypanosoma brucei brucei</i>, Haematological parameters