In vivo Anti-trypanosomal Evaluation and Phytochemical Analysis of Methanol Extract of Nauclea latifolia

Aim: Trypanosomiasis is a pathological condition that requires serious attention. The dried root of Nauclea latifolia was investigated to determine the anti-trypanosomal activity on groups of Wistar rats.

Methods: A 1000 mg/kg body weight of methanol extract was administered for 7 consecutive days by intraperitoneal route (ip) to Group II while Group I received a 3.5 mg/kg of Samorinil® through the same route. The phytochemical constituents were also determined. Parasitaemia level, body weight, temperature and packed cell volume (PCV) were monitored and determined before and after the commencement of the experiment.

Results: The packed cell volume (PCV) increased significantly (P = .05) in Group I and II post infection from an average of 35.0 ± 0.68 to 38.05 ± 0.32% when compared to the infected - untreated group (Group III) with a PCV value of 30.0 ± 1.11%. The methanol extract at a concentration of 1000 mg/kg of the plant reduced the parasitaemia level from 7.8 to 2.53 trypanosomes per ml at the end of the experiment. In Group I, the positive group, that received commercial drug (diminazene diaceturate (Samorinil®) was aparasitic before the end of the experiment. There was significant weight improvement (p =.05) in the entire Group (I and II) from ̶ 22 ± 0.01 to 4.4 ± 0.30 g and ̶ 2.4 ± 0.20 to 4.1 ± 0.04 g respectively except the Group III that was untreated with ̶ 2.4 ± 0.34 to ̶ 6.6 ± 0.18 g that kept depreciating postinfection. First death was recorded in Group III on 12-day post-infection. Temperature of G III continued to increase slowly as the parasitaemia level increased from 35.22 to 42 .36°C which significantly varied (p =.05) from the rectal temperature of GI and II from 35.85°C and 35.17 to 35.53°C and 34.40°C.

Conclusion: The experiment showed that a 1000 mg/kg methanol extract of Nauclea latifolia exhibited promising trypanocidal activity against T. brucei.