Vol. 14 No. 41-63 (2023): Effect of Extracts of Senna occidentalis on Biochemical Parameters of Wistar rats Infected with Trypanosoma congolense

Animal Trypanosomiasis has remained a great threat to livestock in tropical Africa.

Chemotherapy of trypanosomiasis is faced with lots of problems. Fexinidazole recently

discovered in 2018 is not easily available and can only be used for the treatment of the first

stage of the disease, hence the need for cheaper drugs which will be easily available and

assessable. The study aimed to determine the effect of Senna occidentalis extracts on some

biochemical parameters of wistar rats infected with Trypanosoma congolense .

Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids

phenolic compounds and carbohydrates in both the ethanol and aqueous extracts. Acute

toxicity studies, determined by administering 1500, 3000 and 5000 mg/kg body weight (b.

wt) of extracts to wistar rats revealed significant (P<0.05) increase in AST and ALP in group

receiving 3000mg/kgbwt and 5000mg/kg b. wt of the extracts. There was no significant

difference in ALT in group receiving 1500 mg/kg b. wt and 3000mg/kg b. wt. of both ethanol

and aqueous extracts compared with the control. This showed that the plant is relatively

non-toxic. Post infection treatment of animals stirred the emergence of pasitemia by Day 5.

However, only animals receiving 250mg/kg b. wt of ethanol extract and 500mg/kg b. wt of

aqueous extract survived till day 13th post infection. A significant (P<0.05) decrease in AST

and ALP was discovered in all the test groups except the uninfected/untreated group. For

group receiving 500mg/kgbwt of ethanol extract, there was no significant difference in the

ALT and T.bil. No significant difference was observed in potassium, sodium, chloride, urea

and creatinine concentrations of group receiving 500mg/kg b. wt of ethanol extracts

compared with the uninfected/untreated rat. These results thereby demonstrate

ameliorative potentials of Senna occidentalis leaves on hepatic and renal functions of wistar

rats infected with Trypanoso ma congolense . Findings from the study recommend bioassay

guided fractionation to characterize the active components of the plant.