ABSTRACT
UNLABELLED: INTRODUCTION/JUSTIFICATION: There is urgent need to source for alternative chemotherapy against trypanosmosis, a disease of major importance in human and economic animals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Therefore, petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol and aqueous extracts sequentially obtained from the leaves, stem and root barks of Landolphia uniflora were evaluated for their in vitro and in vivo antitrypanosomal activities against Trypanosoma brucei brucei, as well as their phytochemical constituents. RESULTS: Steroids and triterpenes, resins, tannins, saponins and flavonosides were detected in almost all the extracts, but alkaloid was absent in methanol extract of the stem and stem, as well as the chloroform extract of the root bark. In vitro, all extracts of the roots displayed significant antitrypanosomal activity, while only the chloroform extracts of the leaves and stem bark showed activity at both test concentrations (4 and 2 mg/ml). However, under in vivo condition, the methanol extracts showed the greatest activity, eliminating parasitaemia within the 10 days treatment period and prolonging survival period at 200 and 300 mg/kg body weight intramuscular doses. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that Landolphia uniflora could be useful in the management of trypanosomiasis.
