Comparative <i>in vitro</i> activty of <i>Pleurotussajor caju</i> (FR) singer 1951 (blasidiomycota) against <i>Trypanosoma brucei</i> and <i>Trypanosoma congolense</i>

Abstract

Human and animal African trypanosomiasis is a common and economically important disease in man and animal in Africa. The control of these infections relies mainly on the use of trypanocides. The failure of modern trypanocides to control the disease is a reality in Africa. The effects of such known and suspected trypanocides as ethanol, acetone and aqueous extracts of Pleurotussajor caju and diaminazene aceturate on the survival of Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma congolense were evaluated in vitro. Trypanosomes were seeded in polystyrene plates and activity was measured using ELISA reader. The LC₅₀ (50% lethal concentration) of acetone extract against T. congolense and T. brucei was 14.90 mg/mL and 14.91 mg/mL, respectively. The trypanocidal activity of the extracts was not significantly different (P=0.9395) from that of diminazine aceturate. The LC₅₀ of ethanol extract against T. brucei (21.36 mg/mL) was comparable (P= 0.9763)with that of T. congolense (17.59 mg/mL) with lower efficacy on T. brucei. Similarly, the trypanocidal activity of aqueous extract against T. congolense (25.15 mg/mL) did not differ significantly (P = 0.9557) from that of T. brucei (24.43 mg/mL). The trypanocidal activity of diminazine aceturate against T. brucei (12.16 mg/mL) did not differ significantly (P = 0.9895) to that of T. congolense (5.51 mg/mL), although T. congolense responded better. This study demonstrates that Pleurotussajor-caju could contain secondary metabolites with trypanocidal potential.

Keywords: Mushroom, Pleurotussajor-caju, Trypanocide, Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma congolense