ABSTRACT
This study was aimed at determining the effect of leaves of Senna alata extract on biochemical indices of Wistar rats infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei . Phytochemical screening revealed the absence of steroids in all extracts, absence of saponins in chloroform extracts and the presence of free anthraquinones only in chloroform extract. Post - infection treatment of animals stirred the emergence of parasitaemia by Day 3. Only animals receiving 200 mg/kg b.wt. of chloroform extract survived by day 16. A significant (P<0.05) decrease in ALT for groups receiving methanol (400 mg/kg b.wt.), chloroform and aqueous extracts and significant (P<0.05) increase in unconjugated bilir ubin in the group receiving methanol extract (200 mg/kg b.wt.) compared to infected not treated rats. Significant (P<0.05) decrease in potassium concentration in groups receiving methanol and chloroform, and a significant (P<0.05) increase in sodium concen tration in the group receiving 400 mg/kg b.wt. of aqueous extract compared to the infected not treated rats. These results thereby demonstrate the ameliorative potential of Senna alata leaves against T. brucei brucei .
ABSTRACT
The study is aimed atassessingthe knowledge, attitude and practice of peoplein Ija-Gwari and Kofa in Niger State towards onchocerciasis, structured questionnaires wereadministered to 300 respondents comprising 150 from each of the village, which is about 5% of the total population size of the two villages. The sampling technique used to administer the questionnaire was systemic sampling method. In Kofa and Ija-Gwari village, a high proportion 74 (49.3%) and 80 (53.3%) respectively thought it was both a blood and an eye infection while few of the respondents 8 (5.3%) and 2 (1.45%) respectively claimed to have no idea of river blindness. In Kofa village, out of 150 respondents, 146 (97.3%) said they accepted taking the drug and 4 (2.7%) did not accept taking the drug. In Ija-Gwari village out of 150 respondents, 144 (95.9%) said theyaccepted taking the drug and 6 (4.1%) did not accept taking the drug. In Kofa village, outof the 150 respondents, 148 (98.7%) use ivermectin as the type of treatment, while In Ija-Gwari village, out of the 150 respondents 149 (99.3%) use ivermectin as the type of treatment.Since lack of knowledge perpetuates disease, appropriate health education strategy will be necessary to improve the situation