Studies on the Trypanocidal and Haematological Effects of Cassia sieberiana DC (Caesalpinaceae) Stem Bark Aqueous Extract in Trypanosoma brucei Infected Albino Rats

¹BIU, A.A., ²BURATAI, L.B., ²MARK, V.A., ²SAMSON, Y., ¹MOHAMMED, A., ¹PAUL, B.T., ³FASUYI, F.H.,⁴BADAU, J.S., ⁵SAIDU, A.M., ⁶COMFORT, Y. AND ⁷MALANG, S.K.

¹Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria.

²Department of Biochemistry, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria.

³National Biotechnology Development Agency, Bioresources Development Centre, Ogbomosho, Oyo State, Nigeria.

⁴Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria.

⁵Department of Veterinary Surgery and Theriogenology, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria.

⁶Department of Veterinary Anatomy, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria.

⁷Department of Veterinary Parasitology & Entomology, University of Abuja, Nigeria.

E-mail: biuvet@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

Studies on the trypanocidal efficacy and the haematological effects of Cassia sieberiana DC (Caesalpinaceae) stem bark aqueous extract on Trypanosoma brucei infected albino rats was conducted in Maiduguri, Nigeria. There was a progressive increase in parasite count In vivo in the infected untreated (negative control) and infected extract treated groups of rats as from the 2^nd day post inoculation, but became significant (p<0.05) on the 8^th day in these groups, while the rats infected and treated with diminazene aceturate (positive control) showed disappearance in parasites in their systemic circulation from the 12^th day post treatment. Complete cessation of motility of parasites was observed In vitro 10 minutes post inoculation with the concentrations of 1mg/10ml and 2 mg/10ml of Cassia sieberiana stem bark aqueous extract respectively. At the concentration of 4 mg/10ml, the motility count was zero at 5 minutes. Motility was observed in parasites in the micro titre well used as control but ceased after 30 minutes. The haematological parameters of the rats treated with graded doses of the stem bark aqueous extract of Cassia sieberiana had significant (p<0.05) decrease in PCV, Hb, RBC and WBC, while the diminazene aceturate (Veriben^®) treated albino rats had insignificant (p>0.05) decrease when compared to the rats in the control group. This study has indicated a decrease in mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC%) with a significant (p<0.05) increase in mean cell volume values of extract treated albino rats compared with the normal and positive control groups.Theextract had suppressive effect on monocytes, lymphocytes, eosinophils and neutrophils counts of extract treated rats when compared to the differential leucocytic counts of the control group. There was insignificant (p>0.05) increase in monocytes, lymphocytes and eosinophils, and a decrease in neutrophils count in albino rats treated with diminazene aceturate when compared to the differential leucocytic count of the albino rats in the control group. This study has revealed the toxic effect of aqueous extract of Cassia sieberiana stem bark on the haematology of albino rats and its In vitro trypanocidal activity on Trypanosoma brucei.