Sorghum –Garlic Blended Diet Prophylactically Fed to Experimental Rats Prevent the Establishment of trypanosomes in the T. b brucei- Infected Animals

Abstract

Aim: This research work set to investigate the effect of feeding a mixture of two functional foods with a view to ascertain their therapeutic effect against Trypanosoma brucei brucei in challenged rats. Experimental Design: Complete randomized clinical trial design was used in the experiment. The rats were blocked for sex and grouped into A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and J respectively. Each group consists of three (3) rats. Place and Duration of the Study: The research work was conducted in the Biochemistry and Nutrition laboratory in the Department of Animal Production Technology, Federal College of Wildlife Management, New Bussa, Niger State, Nigeria. Four weeks feeding trial was employed in the cause of the experiment. Methodology: A total of 30 albino Wister rats were randomly grouped into ten (10) treatments each containing 3 rats (i.e. A- J). To groups A- E, feed containing graded level of inclusion of blended Sorghum- Garlic (10:1) at 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25% level was fed to them. Group F, were fed the conventional feed only (i.e. negative control). Group G, were fed solely with the pulverised sorghum bicolor (without Garlic added to it). Group H, were fed with conventional feed supplemented with garlic only. Another group of three rats, (i.e. group I) were fed with the supplemented diet with the average inclusion rate of 15% for 3 days prior to infection. To the final group (i.e. group J), as in group I but the feeding period prior to infection was extended to 7 days. Parasitaemia was thereafter monitored on two days interval while the effects of non prophylactic feeding (25%) and seven days prophylactic feeding (at 12.5%) of the experimental diet on the haematological parameters of rats was also determined. Results: Seven days prophylactic feeding of the experimental animals with 12.5% inclusion of the sorghum-garlic prior to their infection with the parasites proves to be effective against the establishment and subsequent proliferation of the parasites. Also, significant difference (P = 0.05) in the haematological parameters was observed between the group prophylactically fed the sorghum-garlic supplemented diet for seven days period at 12.5% inclusion and the group fed at 25% inclusion and infected just a day after. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the potency of prophylactic feeding of sorghum-garlic (functional foods) as nutraceutical against trypanosomiasis and as a haematopoietic agent.