Intestinal ameliorative effects of traditional Ogi-tutu, Vernonia amygdalina and Psidium guajava in mice infected with Vibrio cholera.
BACKGROUND
Cholera, a severe acute watery diarrhea caused by Vibrio cholerae is endemic in Nigeria with most cases occurring in the rural areas. In South West Nigeria, some individuals resort to alternative treatments such as Ogi-tutu, Psidium guajava and Vernonia amygdalina during infections. The effectiveness of these alternatives in the prevention and treatment of V. cholerae infection requires experimental investigation.


OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to investigate the ameliorative effects of Ogi-tutu, Vernonia amygdalina and Psidium guajava on intestinal histopathology of experimental mice infected with V. cholerae.


METHODS
Preliminary investigation of in vitro vibriocidal activities of these alternatives were carried out using agar cup diffusion assay. For ameliorative effects, adult mice were inoculated with 100 µl (106 cells) of Vibrio cholerae and dosed at 0 h (immediate prevention) and 4 h (treatment of infection) and their intestines were histopathologically evaluated.


RESULTS
The histopathological changes were the same irrespective of the treated groups, but the lesions varied in extent and severity. The ameliorative effects in decreasing order were V. amygdalina > P. guajava > Ogi-tutu.


CONCLUSIONS
V. amygdalina gave the best ameliorative effects in the prevention and treatment of V. cholerae infection.
Department of Microbiology, College of Biosciences, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
Olufunke B
OB
Shittu
Department of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
Olusola L
OL
Ajayi
Department of Pure and Applied Zoology, College of Biosciences, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
Samuel O
SO
Bankole
Department of Microbiology, College of Biosciences, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
Temitope Os
TO
Popoola
D000818:Animals; D002771:Cholera / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional; D051379:Mice; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D031647:Psidium; D011897:Random Allocation; D035741:Vernonia; D014734:Vibrio cholerae
D010936:Plant Extracts
Ogi-tutu; Psidium guajava; Vernonia amygdalina; Vibrio cholerae