ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to investigate the effect of sodium arsenite and Acacia honey on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and electrolytes in the brain and serum of Wistar rats. Male Wistar albino rats in four groups of five rats each were treated with distilled water, sodium arsenite (5 mg/kg body weight), Acacia honey (20% v/v), and sodium arsenite and Acacia honey, daily for one week. The sodium arsenite and Acacia honey significantly (P < 0.05) decreased AChE activity in the brain with the combined treatment being more potent. Furthermore, sodium arsenite and Acacia honey significantly (P < 0.05) decreased AChE activity in the serum. Strong correlation was observed between the sodium and calcium ion levels with acetylcholinesterase activity in the brain and serum. The gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis of Acacia honey revealed the presence of a number of bioactive compounds such as phenolics, sugar derivatives, and fatty acids. These findings suggest that sodium arsenite and/or Acacia honey modulates acetylcholinesterase activities which may be explored in the management of Alzheimer's diseases but this might be counteracted by the hepatotoxicity induced by arsenics.
ABSTRACT
The clastogenic effect of mixed infection of Trypanosoma evansi and Trypanosoma brucei brucei in the bone marrow (BM) cells of Wistar albino rats was investigated. Clastogenic effects were observed in the BM cells using the micronucleus assay. The findings indicate that T. evansi, T. b. brucei and mixed infection with both parasites induced the formation of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocyte (MN-PCEs) in the BM cells significantly (P < 0.05) by 60, 63 and 81 micronuclei/1000 PCE respectively. Mixed infection induced formation of MN-PCEs increase by about 1.33 fold when compared with single infections of T. b. brucei and T. evansi. These data give a preliminary evidence of possible genotoxic effects in trypanosomiasis.
