RESUMO
Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Africa is considered to be the cradle of mankind with a rich biological and cultural diversity marked regional difference in healing practices. Natural product of Africa represents a constant interest as sources of health remedies, nutrition and cosmetic formulations. African trypanosomiasis is one of the neglected tropical diseases caused by fly-borne protozoa known as trypanosomes that affect both human and livestock with devastating consequences. Chemotherapy of African trypanosomiasis is unsatisfactory for various reasons including unacceptable toxicity, poor efficacy, undesirable route of administration and drug resistance. In this regards, the last few decades have witnessed a surfeit of investigations which have been geared to investigate the effect of common traditionally-used medicinal plants/insect in alleviating the cellular changes produced during trypanosome infection. Major Objective: This review presents the profiles of African natural product (plants and insect) with anti-trypanosomal properties, reported in the literature. Methodology: Literature was collected from published articles (through electronic search), thesis, Proceedings as well as book of abstract that report on the in vitro or in vivo anti-trypanosomal activity of plants, insects and their products. Results: A total of 215 plants pecies from 82 families were found. While two herbal formulation and three insect/there product were reviewed for invivo anti-trypanosomal activity Furthermore, some of the plants were investigated for possible ameliorative effects on the trypanosome-induced pathological changes. Phyto- chemistry studies of the anti-trypanosomal plants led to the isolation of 96 specific bioactive anti-trypanosomal compounds from different parts of the plants Conclusion: It is clear that these reviews provide strong evidence of the potential beneficial effects of phytotherapy in the traditional management of trypanosomiasis, which could be subsequently developed into a cost effective alternative medicine to complement treatment of trypanosomiasis.
RESUMO
Aim: To investigate In vitro antibacterial activity and in vivo toxicological studies of aqueous extract of Nelsonia campestris. Study Design: Experimental design. Methodology: Standard laboratory procedures were used. Results and Discussion: The extract was highly active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia and moderately active against Bacillus subtilis and Shigella dysenteriae with inhibition diameters in the range of (20 mm-30 mm). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) recorded for the extract ranges between (80-90) mg/ml, and (70-90) mg/ml respectively. 100, 500, 1000, 2000 and 500 mg/kg bodyweight of the extract were orally administered to rats in their respective groups, while 0.5 ml of normal saline was administered to the rats in the control group for a period of one week. At the end of the experiment, the animals were anaesthetized under chloroform, and sacrificed. Blood samples were collected by jugular puncture and used for the analyses of biochemical and haematological parameters. The packed cell volume (PCV) in 100 mg/kg bodyweight group increased (38.0±1.00) in reference to other groups. Red blood cell, and white blood cell also increased significantly (p<0.05) when compared with the control group. Total protein decreased (p>0.05) in all the treated groups in reference to the control. Activities of Aspartate transaminase (AST) increased in all groups in a dose dependent manner while that of alanine transaminase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) decreased but showing increase in the same dose dependent fashion. Triglyceride increased significantly (p<0.05) in all groups, while cholesterol decreased in all groups. Urea increased significantly in a dose dependent manner when compared to the control group while creatinine decreased in the same way. Conclusion: Aqueous extract of Nelsonia campestris has activity against the microbes resulting from the suppression of immunity by morbillivirus, but with mild toxicity to kidney, and liver.