In Vivo Anti-Trypanosomal Activity of Ethanolic Leaf Extract of Carissa Spinarum (Wild Karanda) in Mice Infected with Trypanosoma Brucei Brucei Spp.

Abstract

Carissa Spinarum plant has been implicated as a medicinal plant for joints, muscle, chest pains by the massai people of Kenya, also as an antiviral supplement for HIV treatment in Tanzania. Acute toxicity of the ethanolic leaf extract and minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) using four (4) microorganism (proteus, e.coli, staphylococcus aureus spp & enterobacter spp) was evaluated in mice using Lorke’s method & serial dilution method respectively. The ethanolic leaf extract was evaluated for in vivo anti-trypanosomal activity against federa strain of Trypanosoma brucei brucei in albino mice. Four days suppressive, curative effect against established infection and prophylactic models of anti-trypanosomal studies were carried out. The median lethal dose of the extract was determined to be ? 100mg ? kg body weight. The extract (12.5, 25, 50mg / kg) exerted some dose dependent suppressive effects at the different levels of infections tested, with no significant curative effects recorded. However, further antitrypanosomal property can be explored for the management of trypanosomiasis.

Keywords: Carissa spinarum, antitrypanosomal, albino mice, trypanosome brucei brucei specie