Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effects of combined administration of a low dose of a phenolicsrich fraction of Khaya senegalensis (PFKS) stem bark with α-tocopherol on Trypanosoma brucei brucei (T. brucei brucei) infection. Methods: Rats were divided into five groups of six animals, namely, normal control, uninfected but treated with PFKS and α-tocopherol, infected control, infected and treated with PFKS and α-tocopherol (ITTF) and infected treated with diminazine aceturate. Rats in infected control, ITTF and infected treated with diminazine aceturate were infected with T. brucei brucei while the animals in uninfected but treated with PFKS and α-tocopherol and ITTF were treated with a combination of PFKS (100 mg/kg body weight) and α-tocopherol (100 mg/kg body weight) for 8 days. At the end of the experiment, indices of anemia as well as hepatic and renal functions were analysed. Results: The combined treatment significantly (P < 0.05) retarded the proliferation of T. brucei brucei in the infected animals compared to the infected group but could not completely eliminate the parasites from the bloodstream of infected animals. Furthermore, the trypanosome-associated pathological changes such as anemia, hepatic and renal damages were significantly (P < 0.05) alleviated by the combination of PFKS and α-tocopherol. Conclusions: Combination of a low dose of PFKS stem bark and α-tocopherol could be a therapeutically active regimen against animal trypanosomiasis.

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