In-Vivo antiparasitic activity and toxicity evaluation of Trichosanthes Cucumerina against the growth and survival of Zoonotic Haemoflagellate, Trypanosoma Evansi in mice

Morphological changes of the cell are frequently used as indirect indicators of the effect of studied materials on targeted cells. This study demonstrated how the manipulation of natural planted vegetable, Trichosanthes cucumerina (snake gourd) promisingly can solve a vector-borne zoonotic manifestation of atypical human trypanosomiasis (AHT). The effectiveness of T. cucumerina on the growth and survival of the haemoflagellate protozoa Trypanosoma evansi was compared with commercial anti-trypanosome drug, Berenil (C18H22N8O3). Groups of male ICR mice of 6 – 8 weeks old and 20 – 25 g body weight (bw) were intraperitoneally (i.p) administered with the parasite at 5.0 × 103 T. evansi/mouse and orally given pre- and post-infection treatments with 0.2 mL of 100 mg/kg bw of freeze-drying undergoes T. cucumerina aqueous extract. Using Giemsa stained blood smear and examined under light and scanning electron microscopes (SEM), the morphological changes of parasite cells were assessed. A significant correlation (p ≤ 0.05, n = 6) was recorded between the survival time and the ability to inhibit the parasites growth for PRE14 group where the mice were orally treated with 0.2 mL of 100 mg/kg bw T. cucumerina aqueous extract starting from day 14th before the infection. Besides, the mice in this group was also recorded the longest pre-patent (38.51 ± 3.32 days) and survival (211.74 ± 2.60 days) period. The results for biochemical tests were significantly situated in the normal ranged level. Histologically, no abnormalities found on the selected vital organs. The morphological changes of T. evansi cells were evidenced where the undulating membrane was destroyed and the cell became crescent-shaped before both posterior and anterior ends were tapered and the flagellum was finally disintegrated from the cell in which lead to death of the parasite. This study significantly evidenced that T. cucumerina has a stronger and promising anti-parasitic activity against T. evansi and could be manipulated for the preservation and welfare of human beings, animals and environment