Effects of Artesunate on some biochemical parameters in pregnant albino Wistar rats challenged with lethal strain Plasmodium berghei NK65: Appreciating the activities of artemisinin drugs on key pregnancy hormone balance.
In humans, malaria in pregnancy can cause serious maternal and foetal morbidity and in extreme untreated cases, foetal mortality occurs. The therapeutic approach to curbing this malaise is the administration of an effective and/or combinations of anti-malaria medicaments. Acute or chronic administration of some of these drugs, however, gives rise to some adverse medical conditions including reproductive dysfunction, especially in pregnancy. Studies aimed at the hormonal interplays following administration of these drugs in pregnancy have been limited due to too few appropriate animal models. In this experiment, pregnant albino rats were infected with rodent parasite, Plasmodium berghei on the 5th day of gestation, following which biochemical changes, specific for pregnancy maintenance were monitored in the blood of test rats. We observed that infecting the pregnant rats with P. berghei negatively impacted the measured biological parameters (hormones) compared to unchallenged controls. The observed effect was however retreated following oral administration of 3mg/kg body weight, qDay of Artesunate until the 17th day of gestation. Findings, therefore, suggest that Artesunate is an effective therapeutic agent in pregnancy, demonstrated by the restoration of the hormonal changes occasioned by the parasitic infection.
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, PMB 1115, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.
Chinaka O
CO
Nwaehujor
Department of Animal Production and Health, Faculty of Agriculture, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria.
Onyeka V
OV
Asuzu
Department of Chemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria.
Daniel D
DD
Nwibo
Department of Animal Production and Health, Faculty of Agriculture, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria.
Obichukwu C
OC
Nwobi
Department of Veterinary Physiology, Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, PMB 7267, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria. Electronic address: ihechi.ezeigbo@yahoo.com.
Ihechiluru I
II
Ezeigbo
D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077332:Artesunate; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones; D008288:Malaria; D010962:Plasmodium berghei; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D006728:Hormones; D000077332:Artesunate
Artesunate; Hormones; Plasmodium berghei NK65; Pregnancy