Anti-trypanosomal activity of crude and nano-conjugated ethanol stem bark extracts of Sterculia setigera in mice

Abstract

This study was carried out to screen for anti-trypanosomal activities of Sterculia setigera crude and nano-conjugated ethanol extracts of synthesized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Fresh stem bark of S. setigera was separately extracted with ethanol (ES) and aqueous (AS) followed by green synthesis/reduction of ethanol extract with AuNPs, and its formulation into nano-conjugate with the addition of standard drug Diminazine aceturate (berenil). The synthesized AuNPs were also characterized. Both the extracts and drug were separately administered toTrypanosoma brucei brucei infected animals orally at 200mg/kg bodyweight for 12 consecutive days. Two separate groups were infected untreated and infected treated with Diminazine aceturate (Berenil) to serve as positive and negative controls respectively. Similarly nano conjugates of S. satigera conjugate with the addition of standard drug Diminazine aceturate(berenil). The synthesized AuNPs were also characterized. Both the extracts and drug were separately administered to Trypanosoma brucei brucei infected animals orally at200mg/kg bodyweight for 12 consecutive days. Two separate groups were infected untreated and infected treated with Diminazine aceturate (Berenil) to serve as positive and negative controls respectively. Similarly nanoconjugates of S. satigera conjugate with the addition of standard drug Diminazine aceturate (berenil). The synthesized AuNPs were also characterized. Both the extracts and drug were separately administered to Trypanosoma brucei brucei infected animals orally at 200mg/kg bodyweight for 12 consecutive days. Two separate groups were infected untreated and infected treated with Diminazine aceturate (Berenil) to serve as positive and negative controls respectively. Similarly nanoconjugates of S. satigera and berenil were also orally administered to different groups of rats for 12 days consecutively. Theresults showed that the ethanol extract treated group recorded significant decrease in parasitaemia than the aqueous treated group when compared with the untreated controlgroups (p<0.05). Furthermore, treatment with both the nanoconjugates effectively cleared the parasites from the blood circulation of the infected animal (p<0.05). Bodyweight and PCV of treated groups improved significantly in all the treated animals (p<0.05). The ethanol extract ofS. setigera exhibited trypanostatic activity while its nano-conjugated was trypanocidal.