title: Anti-trypanosomal effect of Peristrophe bicalyculata extract on Trypanosoma brucei brucei-infected rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the in vitro and in vivo effect of whole plant extracts of Peristrophe bicalyculata on Trypanosoma brucei brucei-infected rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  THE EXPERIMENT WAS DIVIDED INTO TWO PHASES: In the first phase, the anti-trypanosomal activity of the hot water, cold water, methanol and butanol extracts of the whole plant were determined by incubating with Trypanosoma brucei brucei. The cold water extract was partially-purified and the anti-trypanosomal activity of the fractions determined. In the second phase, Trypanosoma brucei brucei-infected rats were treated with fraction 2c for nine days. Packed cell volume (PCV), high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TAG), aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferases (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total and direct bilirubin levels were determined at the end of the experiment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cold water extract immobilized 90% of the parasites after 60 min of incubation, and fraction 2c completely immobilized the parasites after 35 min. It significantly increased PCV in Trypanosoma brucei brucei-infected rats. Decreased TC, TAG, HDL and LDL levels of infected rats increased significantly when rats were treated with the fraction, while elevated levels of total bilirubin and ALT also decreased. The difference in urea, direct bilirubin and ALP was not significant when infected rats were compared to rats in other groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ability of the plant to ameliorate the infection-induced biochemical changes calls for detailed investigation of the potentials of the plant for antitrypanosomiasis drug delivery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Abdulazeez Mansurah
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Abimbola
authors.forename: Ibrahim Abdulrazak
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Baba
authors.forename: Edibo Zakari
authors.initials: EZ
authors.lastname: Yenusa
authors.forename: Sidali Joseph
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Omanibe
authors.forename: Idris Habeeb
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Oladimeji
mesh_terms: D027901:Acanthaceae; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000187:drug effects*; D014353:Trypanosomiasis, African / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents
keywords: Anti-trypanosomal activity; Lipoproteins; Peristrophe bicalyculata; Trypanosoma brucei brucei