Vol. 14 No. 125-134 (2023): AMELIORATIVE EFFECT OF ZINC AND SELENIUM ON OXIDATIVE STRESS IN WISTAR RATS INFECTED WITH Trypanosoma brucei brucei

The study aimed at evaluating the effect of zinc and selenium treatment on oxidative stress

caused by Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection in the liver and kidney of Wistar rats. Fifty-

four (54) wistar rats were divided into nine groups of six (6) rats each. Group I, II, and III

served as normal, normal rats administered with combined zinc and selenium and T. brucei

brucei infected untreated controls respectively. Rats in groups III-IX were injected

intraperitoneally with a 1x103 parasite load. Groups IV, V, and VI were the pre-treated

infected groups that were administered with a daily dose of 50mg per kilogram body weight

of zinc, 10mg per kilogram body weight of selenium, and a combination of zinc and selenium

respectively for seven (7) days. Whereas Groups VII, VIII, and IX represented the post-

infected treated groups that were administered with a daily dose of 50mg per kilogram body

weight of zinc, 10mg per kilogram body weight of selenium, and a combination of zinc and

selenium respectively for seven (7) days. Administration of Zn and Se caused a significant

(P<0.05) decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA), concentration and in the same way, showed

an improvement in the activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD),

catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in liver and kidney homogenate in

Trypanosoma brucei brucei infected treated rats. The findings of this study suggest that

treatment with zinc and selenium effectively mitigated oxidative stress induced by

Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection in the liver and kidney of Wistar rats. The observed

improvements in oxidative status suggest that zinc and selenium possess potent antioxidant

and free radical scavenging properties, thereby highlighting their potential therapeutic utility

in combating trypanosomiasis-associated oxidative damage.