Effects of aqueous extract of fruit pulp of Adansonia digitata L. on the oxidative stress profile against Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection in albino rats

Abstract

Abstract Background Chemotherapy is the most widely used means of controlling trypanosomosis, however, effectiveness of the drugs available is limited by a number of factors. This study investigates the oxidative stress profile of aqueous extract of the fruit pulp of Adansonia digitata on some organs in rats infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Methods Thirty-five male albino rats were divided into 7 groups of 5 rats each. Groups B, C, D, E, F and G were inoculated with 0.20 ml of suspension containing 106 T. b. brucei. Group A were neither infected nor treated. Group B were infected but not treated. At onset of parasitaemia, rats in group C were treated with diminazene aceturate at 3.5 mg/kg body weight once, while rats in group D were treated with vitamin C at 200 mg/kg body weight for 3 days consecutively. Rats in groups E, F and G were treated orally for 3 days with the aqueous extract of fruit pulp of A. digitata at a dosage of 40 mg/kg, 80 mg/kg and 160 mg/kg body weight respectively. Liver and kidney tissues of the rats were collected at necropsy (10 days PI) for oxidative stress analysis. Results There was a significant (p < 0.05) effect in the concentration levels of malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase among the different groups treated with aqueous extract of fruit pulp of A. digitata. Conclusion The extract of A. digitata exert protective effects against tissue peroxidation in albino rats experimentally infected with T. b. brucei.