Evaluation of Medicinal Plants from Nupeland for Their in vivo Antitrypanosomal Activity

Abstract

Over 25% of our common medicines contain at least some compounds obtained from plants. Nupeland located on the coastal basins of Rivers Niger and Kaduna in North Central Nigeria is greatly influenced by the savannah-forest vegetations with biodiversity rich in medicinal plants. This type of vegetation also harbours tsetsefly which are the vector of trypanosomes, thus making the area highly endemic to sleeping sickness. Trypanosomiasis is a tropical disease threatening human health and economical development and is responsible for the death of about half a million patients per year. Nupeland inhabited predominantly by Nupe tribe are traditionally noted for generations of using medicinal plants in curing human trypanosomal infections; many of which have not been scientifically proved. Natural products derived from plants offer novel possibilities to obtain new drugs that are active against trypanosomes. In furtherance to the earlier in vitro trypanocidal activity evaluation of some Nupeland medicinal plants; six medicinal plants traditionally used for treatment of sleeping sickness in Nupeland namely: Acacia nilotica, Bombax buonopozense, Heterotis rotundifolia, Pterocarpus erinaceus, Terminalia avicennioides and Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides were investigated for in vivo antitrypanosomal activity. The solvent soluble extracts obtained by standard methods from various plant parts (stem barks and fruits) of Nupeland medicinal plants were evaluated for their in vivo antitrypanosomal activities against Trypanosoma brucei brucei as well as their phytochemical screening were performed by standard procedures. The extracts of A. nilotica (stem bark), B. buonopozense (stem bark), H. rotundifolia (whole plant), T. avicennioides (round fruit) and Z. zanthoxyloides (stem bark) were effective on trypanosomes. The extracts of A. nilotica, B. buonopozense and H. rotundifolia exhibited antitrypanosomal effects at 200, 300 and 800 mg/kg body weight respectively and cleared the parasites from circulation with prolonging survival period of up to 30 days. The stem bark extracts of P. erinaceus, T. avicennioides and Z. zanthoxyloides showed only trypanostatic effects and could not clear the parasites completely. These extracts contain metabolites that are associated antitrypanosomal effects; hence these medicinal plants may be sources of new antitrypanosomal compounds that may be active against T. b. brucei. The discovery of these potent antitrypanosomal extracts from these plants has increased their potentials to provide lead compounds for the development of new natural drugs for effective treatment of sleeping sickness. It has also justified the claim that some medicinal plants of Nupeland possess antitrypanosomal activity and could be useful in the management of trypanosomiasis. The isolation of trypanocidal compounds from these extracts will require State-Art-Instrumentation particularly for further bioactive fractionation and characterization using chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques.

Flavonoids isolated from Tridax procumbens (TPF) inhibit osteoclasts differentiation and bone resorption

“…Decoctions of the TPF from T. procumbens leaves and root bark have been traditionally used for treatment of dropsy, anaemia, arthritis, and gout, ulcer, piles, and urinary problems [12]. The TPF also used in the treatment for fever, typhoid, cough, and diarrhea, gastric problems, body pain, and rheumatic pains of joints [18–20]. TPF has antimicrobial effects such as antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral [21–23].…”

Chemotherapeutic control of trypanosomosis - a review of past measures, current status and future trends

“…Some encouraging reports have been published (ASUZU and CHINEME, 1990; AKANJI Some encouraging reports have been published (ASUZU and CHINEME, 1990;OMOJA et al, 2011;MANN and OGBADOYI, 2012). Ascofuranone, a et al, 2009;OMOJA et al, 2011;MANN and OGBADOYI, 2012). Ascofuranone, a prenylated phenol antibiotic and a structural analog of coenzyme Q isolated from a prenylated phenol antibiotic and a structural analog of coenzyme Q isolated from a phytopathogenic fungus, phytopathogenic fungus, Ascochyta visiae Ascochyta visiae, resulted in 100% cure of mice infected with , resulted in 100% cure of mice infected with T. b. brucei T. b. brucei when given by intraperitoneal route in combination with glycerol.…”

“…Few natural products have been evaluated in rodent models of African trypanosomiasis. Some encouraging reports have been published (ASUZU and CHINEME, 1990; AKANJI Some encouraging reports have been published (ASUZU and CHINEME, 1990;OMOJA et al, 2011;MANN and OGBADOYI, 2012). Ascofuranone, a et al, 2009;OMOJA et al, 2011;MANN and OGBADOYI, 2012).…”

“…There is an abundance of reports in the literature from studies, both There is an abundance of reports in the literature from studies, both in vivo in vivo and and in vitro in vitro, , which have been conducted to investigate the effectiveness of traditionally used medicinal which have been conducted to investigate the effectiveness of traditionally used medicinal plants in alleviating the effect of trypanosomosis on the host (SALEM and WERBOVETZ, plants in alleviating the effect of trypanosomosis on the host (SALEM and WERBOVETZ, 2006;MANN and OGBADOYI, 2012). HOET et al (2004), reviewed 120 plant derived 2006; MANN and OGBADOYI, 2012).…”

“…There is an abundance of reports in the literature from studies, both There is an abundance of reports in the literature from studies, both in vivo in vivo and and in vitro in vitro, , which have been conducted to investigate the effectiveness of traditionally used medicinal which have been conducted to investigate the effectiveness of traditionally used medicinal plants in alleviating the effect of trypanosomosis on the host (SALEM and WERBOVETZ, plants in alleviating the effect of trypanosomosis on the host (SALEM and WERBOVETZ, 2006;MANN and OGBADOYI, 2012). HOET et al (2004), reviewed 120 plant derived 2006; MANN and OGBADOYI, 2012). HOET et al (2004), reviewed 120 plant derived compounds, consisting of alkaloids, phenolic derivatives, quinones, terpenes and other compounds, consisting of alkaloids, phenolic derivatives, quinones, terpenes and other metabolites, which reportedly possess activity against African trypanosomes (mainly metabolites, which reportedly possess activity against African trypanosomes (mainly Trypanosoma brucei subsp Trypanosoma brucei subsp., ., T. congolense and T. vivax T. congolense and T. vivax) in a submicromolar range, out ) in a submicromolar range, out of which 12 were shown to be relatively selective.…”