title: Antitrypanosomal potentials of the extract and fractions of Abrus precatorius seeds.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the in vivo trypanocidal activity of the methanol extract and fractions of Abrus precatorius seeds in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Parasiteamia was induced unto mice by intraperitoneal injection of 1.25×10(5)Trypanosoma in normal saline. Five days when a high level of parasiteamia was established treatment commenced until ten days. The mice were treated with 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg bt. of the extract and 5 and 10 mg/kg bt. of the fraction (F(2)), respectively for 5 days. Diminazene aceturate at the dose of 3.5 mg/kg bt. for two days was used as the reference drug. The level of parasitaemia and packed cell volume (PCV) of the animals estimated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At doses of 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg the crude extract showed a sharp reduction in the level of parasitaemia in mice compared with the untreated group. The mice treated with F(2) at doses of 5 and 10 mg/kg showed a sharp reduction in the level of parasitamia to zero in day 9, and a gradual recovery from the 12th day of treatment. This effect is comparable to that of the mice treated with 7 mg/kg of standard drug diminazene aceturate. The PCV of the treated showed a gradual decrease with time, but not as much as the untreated group. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of glycosides, alkaloids, carbohydrates, tannins and proteins in the Abrus precatorius powder while F(2) was rich in alkaloids.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that both the extract and the fractions of Abrus precatorius seeds exhibited a promising trypanocidal property. Alkaloids may be responsible for the observed activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka Nigeria. ngozi.nwodo@unn.edu.ng
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Nwodo
authors.forename: O F C
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Nwodo
mesh_terms: D029912:Abrus / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000188:drug therapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014345:Trypanosoma / Q000187:drug effects*; D014352:Trypanosomiasis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents