In vivo antitrypanosomal evaluation of some medicinal plant extracts from Ogun state, Nigeria

Aqueous extracts of 5 medicinal plants comprising of the root bark of Morinda morindiodes and leaves of Tithonia diversifolia, Lippia multiflora, Ocimum gratissimum and Acalypha wilkesiana were investigated for antitrypanosomal activities in albino rats infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei. The plant extracts at 400mg/kg body weight (of rats) were administered once daily for 7 days in an established infection of 5 x 106 parasitaemia before starting treatment. There was significant reduction in parasitaemia (P< 0.05) on the 3rd day of treatment in rats treated with Morinda morindiodes, Tithonia diversifolia and Acalypha wilkesiana but parasitaemia later increased till survival time. Morinda morindiodes, a plant well known for its potents antimalarial effect, has it root bark extracts exhibiting the highest value of mean survival time (12.6+0.7) days this study. The result may probably suggest reduction in parasite virulence by Morinda morindiodes root bark extract. Keywords: Antitrypanosomal, evaluation, medicinal plants, in vivo, Ogun State, Nigeria