Methanolic leaf extract of Moringa oleifera improves the survivability rate, weight gain and histopathological changes of Wister rats infected with Trypanosoma brucei

Abstract

Trypanosomosis is a major disease of Man and animals. This study investigated the effect of Moringa oleifera leaf extract on the survivability rate, weight gain and histopathological changes of Wister rats experimentally infected with Trypanosoma brucei. A total of thirty (30) rats randomly divided into six groups (A-F). Rats in group A remain untreated and uninfected while rates in group F were infected and untreated. Rats in groups B and C were treated with Moringa oleifera leave extract orally at 200 mg/kg for 14 days pre-infection and the treatment continued in B but not in C. Rats in groups D and E were treated with the extract orally for ninety days at 200 mg/kg (pre-infection) and the treatment continued in D but not in E. The weight changes in all rats were monitored weekly. Rats in B-F groups were infected with 3 × 10⁶ of Trypanosoma brucei per mL of blood. The results showed that all the infected rats died but the treated group survived extra two days when compared with the untreated group. The percentage weight gain of rats in groups B and C was high (23.9% and 21.1%) respectively as against negative control (17.2%). The groups with chronic administration of the extract (D and E) had a lower percentage weight gains (64.3% and 60.3% respectively) when compared with negative control (71.8%). The histopathology results showed that the extract was a potent ameliorative agent that reduced neuronal degeneration and congestion in the brain and the spleen of the infected rats respectively. In conclusion, Moringa Oleifera leave extract has mitigative effects on the pathogenesis of trypanosomosis.