RESUMEN
The effects of medium term administration of crude Diospyros mespiloformis root extracts on some biochemical parameters were investigated in mice. Forty mice were divided into two groups of twenty animals each. Animals in group I were gavaged with the root extracts at 400mg/kg/body weight for five weeks. Group II received normal saline (0.09%w/v NaCl) and served as controls. Whole body weights, fresh organ weights, packed cell volume (PCV) and some serum biochemical parameters were analysed using standard methods. Results showed minimal variation in whole body weights and packed cell volumes of animals given the extracts. Also values for some organ weights, triacyglycerides (148.25± 2.78 mg/dL), and Alkaline Phosphatase (41.50± 1.71 mg/dL) were not significantly (p > 0.05) different between test and control animals in the final week. However, heart (0.74%), lungs (4.43%), glucose (113.92 ± 2.43 mg/dL), total proteins (4.75 ± 1.25mg/dL), Aspartate Transaminase (40.50 ± 1.50 μL) and Alanine Transaminase (43.52 ± 4.50μL), were significantly (p < 0.05) different between the animals administered D. mespiliformis and controls. These results are early indications that long term consumption of D. mespiliformis could predispose to adverse tissue effects.
RESUMEN
The effects of Thonningea sanguinea Vahl. root extracts were tested against Plasmodium berghei and Plasmodium chabaudi, acetic acid induced abdominal constriction and egg albumin induced paw oedema in rodents. Eighteen mice assigned to 3 groups of 6 animals each were infected with P. berghei (NK 65 chloroquine sensitive strain). Group I was treated with 300 mg/kg bw T. sanguinea, group II with 5mg/kg bw chloroquine phosphate (standard) and group III with 20ml/kg bw normal saline (control). Another set of eighteen mice were also inoculated with P. chabaudi and treated similarly. P. berghei was significantly suppressed by the extract over the time course of the study with mice survival periods of 36, 20 and 16 days for chloroquine, plant extract and normal saline treatments respectively. T. sanguinea produced some initial suppression of parasites but subsequently resurgence in parasitaemia was observed in the case of P. chabaudi infected animals. Mice survival periods with the later were 24 days (CQ), 22 days (extract) and 10 days (normal saline). Whole body weights significantly decreased in P. chabaudi but not P. berghei infected mice. Packed Cell Volume significantly (p<0.05) decreased with both models irrespective of the treatments. The extract had a minimal (10.89%) analgesic effect and had no anti-inflammatory activity. T. sanguinea though effective only in the P. berghei model could still be further investigated.
RESUMEN
The antiplasmodial, analgesic, antiinflammatory and chronic dose effects of methanolic extract of Chrozophora senegalenesis A. Juss were studied in mice. Plasmodium berghei (NK 65 chloroquine sensitive strain) was inoculated into eighteen mice assigned to 3 groups of 6 mice each . Group I was treated with 75mg/kg bw C. Senegalensis, group II with 5mg/kg bw chloroquine phosphate (standard) and group III with 20ml/kg bw normal saline (Control). Anagelsia and antiinflammation were analysed by the Acetic acid induced abdominal constriction in mice and egg albumin induced paw oedema in rats respectively. Another set of 40 mice were divided into two groups of twenty each (test and control) and some serum parameters studied. The test animals were gavaged with extract while controls were given normal saline over a period of 5 weeks. C. senegalensis suppressed parasitemia in mice by 51.80%, had 37.05% anagelsia, and 60.92% anti-inflammatory activity. Body weights, packed cell volume and serum triacylglycerides significantly (p<0.05) decreased in mice given C. senegalensis while serum glucose, Aspartate amino transferase (AST), Alanine amino Transferase (ALT) and Alkaline phosphase (ALP) increased significantly (p<0.05) in the test mice over the study period. In conclusion, C.senegalensis is effective in the management of malaria but long term consumption can predispose to adverse physiological effects.