title: Allium sativum-induced death of African trypanosomes.
abstract: The effect of Allium sativum (Liliacea) on trypanosome-infected mice was examined. At a dose of 5.0 mg/ml, the oily extract from the pulp completely suppressed the ability of the parasites to be infective in the host. Column chromatography of the extract gave four fractions: ethylacetate/methanol, ethylacetate/ethanol, benzene/methanol, and acetic acid/methanol. Among these fractions, the acetic acid/methanol fraction retained the trypanocidal features of the crude extract. It cured experimentally infected mice of trypanosomiasis in 4 days when given at a dose of 120 mg/kg per day. The extract also manifested inhibition of procyclic forms of Trypanosoma brucei brucei and phospholipases from T. congolense, T. b. brucei, T. vivax. The extract appears to be diallyl-disulfide (DAD) and may interfere with the parasites' synthesis of membrane lipids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Nok
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Onyenekwe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005737:Garlic / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D013261:Sterols / Q000032:analysis; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013261:Sterols; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents; D010741:Phospholipases A