Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical Institute, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
Nwodo, N.J., Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; Brun, R., Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical Institute, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland; Osadebe, P.O., Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
The aqueous extract of young leaves of Holarrhena africana, a plant used in the Nigerian traditional medicine, exhibited good activity against Trypanosoma brucei spp. The extract was fractionated and eight fractions were obtained. One fraction designated as HaF5 showed in vitro activity against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense with an IC50 value of 0.785 μg/mg and no overt cytotoxicity against L-6 cells. Fraction HaF5 was tested in vivo at two doses and found to exhibit in vivo efficacy in Trypanosoma brucei brucei infected mice leading to a complete disappearance of parasitaemia followed by a relapse. © 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
antitrypanosomal agent; holarrhena africana extract; plant extract; unclassified drug; animal cell; animal experiment; animal model; article; controlled study; cytotoxicity; drug screening; female; fractionation; Holarrhena; IC 50; male; mouse; nonhuman; parasitemia; rat; relapse; traditional medicine; Trypanosoma brucei; Trypanosoma rhodesiense; trypanosomiasis; Animals; Cell Line; Cell Survival; Female; Holarrhena; Male; Medicine, African Traditional; Mice; Nigeria; Plant Extracts; Plant Leaves; Rats; Trypanocidal Agents; Trypanosoma brucei brucei; Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense; Trypanosomiasis, African; Holarrhena; Mus; Trypanosoma brucei; Trypanosoma brucei brucei; Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense