Abstract:
The antitrypanosomal activity of the methanol extract of Buchholzia coriaceaseed against a field strain of Trypanosoma congolense was investigated using experimentally infected mice of both sexes.Monitoring of parasitaemia was by the rapid matching technique.When parasitaemia was approximately log 7.8 (63 x 106 parasites/ml), treatment with graded doses of the extract (250,500 and 1000 mg/kg) was instituted for 5 consecutive days.Diminazene diaceturate (Dimivet® SKM Pharma Pvt. Ltd.) was given at 3.5 mg/kg i.p. to the positive control mice. No significant differences in body weights were observed. The rectal temperatures of infected mice showed fluctuations. The PCV of infected mice were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than those of the uninfected controls.There was no significant difference between the PCV of the extract-treated and untreated animals.Parasitaemia increased steadily in the extract-treated and untreated mice groups till all the animals died. Three days post-treatment with diminazene diaceturate parasitaemia was cleared. Six days later, there was a relapse of infection. By the end of the experiment, a 50 % relapse rate was recorded in the diminazene diaceturate-treated group.The methanol extract of Buchholzia coriaceaseeds did not show any antitrypanosomal activity in mice infected with Trypanosoma congolenseat the doses tested.
