Serum Iron and Nitric Oxide Production in Trypanosoma brucei Infected Rats Treated with Tetracycline

The effects of tetracycline on serum iron, nitric oxide production, and haematological parameters in Trypanosoma brucei infected rats were investigated. T. brucei infected and uninfected rats were treated with tetracycline intraperitoneally at 10mg/kg body weight. Four rats each from various groups were treated daily from the first day parasites were sighted in the blood and continued until the animals died. Infected rats, treated and untreated, were sacrificed daily for the serum iron levels and nitric oxide synthase activities. For haematological parameters, infected and uninfected but treated rats were sacrificed on days 7 and 12 along with untreated rats. Results showed that tetracycline brought about a significant reduction in the serum iron status and a modulation of nitric oxide synthase activity of T. brucei infected rats. Red blood cell counts, haemoglobin concentrations, packed cell volumes, white blood cell and platelet counts were also significantly higher in infected as a result of treatment with tetracycline. The results from this study suggest that, tetracycline which has previously been reported as a possible cheap drug in the management of African trypanosomiasis, probably exerts its trypanocidal action through reduction in serum iron status, which in turn modulates nitric oxide synthase activity, thereby reducing the severity of anaemia in infected rat