African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 5 (10), pp. 883-887, 16 May 2006   

ISSN 1684–5315 © 2006 Academic Journals        

Full Length Research Paper

Scoparia dulcis reduces the severity of Trypanosoma brucei-induced hyperlipidaemia in the rabbit

Orhue, N. E. J.* and Nwanze, E. A. C.

Department of Biochemistry University of Benin, P.M.B. 1154, Benin City, Nigeria.

*Corresponding authors E-mail: jerryorhue@yahoo.com.

Accepted 31 March, 2006

Abstract

We investigated the effect of oral administration of the herb, Scoparia dulcis, on Trypanosoma brucei-induced changes in plasma lipid profile in rabbits over a period of twenty eight days. Results obtained show that infection with T. brucei resulted in significant increases in plasma total cholesterol, trriacylglycerol, and low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, while the level of high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol was also significantly reduced. Further comparative analysis of data revealed that these lesions were significantly less severe (p<0.05), in the infected and treated group relative to their untreated counterparts. However, the precise mechanism underlying the plasma lipid modulating effects of the herb is still a matter of speculations.

Key words: Scoparia dulcis, Trypanosoma brucei, cholesterol, triacylglycerol  lipoproteins.