Evaluation of Antitrypanosomal activity of Adansoniadigitata (methanol seed extract) in albino mice.

Abstract

Adansonia digitata, a shrub used in traditional medicine for the treatment of cancer was investigated for the treatment of experimental trypanosomiasis. Methanol seed extracts of the seed of Adansonia digitata was investigated for in-vivo anti-trypanosomal activity in albino mice infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei and treated intraperitoneally with the extracts 24 hours post infection, at doses ranging from 50-500mg/kg for 14 days. The parasitaemia in each mouse was monitored including the control group which were treated with the standard drug; berenil. Seed extracts at dose of 400mg/kg showed significant antitrypanosomal activity (P<0.05). Although parasites were not completely cleared from circulation, 67% of the experimental animals survived for over 43 days. The treated control (berenil at dose of 3.5mg/kg) showed 100% survival and parasites were completely cleared. The L.D50 value of the crude seed extract was estimated to be more than 2900mg/kg. Phytochemical screening of the crude extract of the seed indicated the presence of carbohydrate, glycosides, cardiac glycosides, saponins, steroids and triterpene, flavonoids and alkaloids. The result of this study shows that Adansonia digitata has great potential as anti trypanosomal agent, which could be developed into an alternative drug to complement treatment options for African trypanosomiasis.