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Anti anaemic properties of
Scoparia dulcis in Trypanosoma brucei infected
rabbits
Orhue N. E. J*. and Nwanze E. A. C.
Department of Biochemistry,
University
of Benin, P. M. B 1154, Benin City, Nigeria.
*Corresponding author: E-mail:
jerryorhue@yahoo.com.
Accepted
24
April,2009 |
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A major
feature of infection with trypanosomes is the development of
anaemia. In this study, the effect of Scoparia dulcis (Atiotiousha
in Akoko-Edo) on Trypanosoma brucei induced
anaemia was investigated in fifteen rabbits divided into
three groups of n = 5 over a period of twenty eight days.
Changes in Packed cell volume (PCV), Haemoglobin (Hb)
concentration, Red blood cell count (RBC), Mean cell
haemoglobin (MCH), Mean cell haemoglobin concentration, (MCHC)
and Mean cell volume (MCV) were monitored over the period.
The results obtained indicate that infection with T. brucei
results in a significant decrease (p<0.05) in PCV, Hb
concentration and RBC. No significant (p>0.05) changes were
observed in MCH, MCHC and MCV. However the severity of
observed anaemia was significantly less pronounced (p<0.05)
in the infected rabbits that were treated with S. dulcis
when compared with their infected but untreated
counterparts. It is concluded that S. dulcis therapy
may prove useful in the management of T. brucei
anaemia, and possibly other forms of anaemia, although the
precise mechanism by which the preparation enhances the
haematological indices investigated remains to be fully
understood.
Key
words:
Scoparia dulcis, Trypanosoma brucei, Rabbits, PCV,
Haemoglobin. |
