Studies on the In Vitro Trypanocidal Effect of the Extracts of Some Selected Medicinal Plants in Sokoto State, Nigeria

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.