Abstract:
The in vitro trypanocidal activity of aqueous extracts of some selected medicinal plants
used by local herdsmen in the treatment of various animal diseases in Sokoto State, Nigeria was
conducted. Trypanosoma brucei brucei were cultured using 96 well micro titer plate and maintained
at 370C. About 20 – 25 parasites per microscope field were dosed with 1, 2 and 4mg/ml of aqueous
extracts of the plants and a control group without extracts. After 5 minutes incubation in Eppendorf
tubes maintained at 370C, the parasites survived more than four (4) hours in the absence of
extract/Berenil. At 4mg/ml of the extracts 0f Terminalia catappa, Waltheria indica, Cucurbita pepo,
Entada abyssinica and Ximenia Americana, complete cessation of motility of T. brucei brucei within
60 minutes was observed. However, at 2mg/ml of Waltheria indica, trypanosome motility after 20
minutes was stopped but Terminalia catappa, and Ximenia americana were found to reduce
trypanosome motility at 35 and 55 minutes respectively. Only Waltheria indica reduced trypanosome
motility within 25 minutes at 1mg/ml concentration. Berenil, the standard drug, caused cessation of
trypanosomal motility within 60 minutes even at 1mg/ml. From the results Waltheria indica was the
most effective among the extracts when compared with Berenil, and may be a potential source of
compounds with trypanocidal activity.
