Effects Of Vitamin E Supplementation On Anaemia And Tissue Pathology In Rats Infected With Trypanosoma Brucei (Federe Strain)

The effect of daily supplementation with vitamin E (75 iu/kg) on anaemia and tissue pathology in Trypanosoma brucei infected rats was investigated. Thirty (30) healthy mixed sex albino rats were used for the study. The rats were randomly assigned to three groups of ten rats each (n=10) as follows; group 1(control); group 2(vitamin E supplementation with T.brucei infection) and group 3 ( T. brucei infected unsupplemented).Infection was induced by intraperitoneal inoculation with 1×104/ml Trypanosomes suspended in diluted rat blood. Rats were bled each three days to measure the packed cell volume by microhaematocrit method and each five days to quantify parasitaemia level by red blood cell haemocytometric method. The packed cell volume (PCV) of the infected unsupplemented group decreased significantly (p≤0.05) to the level of 36.5±5.06% on day 14 post infection (pi) compared to vitamin E supplemented and control which had values of 44.35±2.57% and 47.25±2.87% respectively. These variations continued until when rats in vitamin E unsupplemented rats have died of severe trypanosomosis on day 23 pi. Despite vitamin E supplementation, the course of parasitaemia continues to increase with out abatement. The difference in parasitaemia score on day 20 pi was significant (p≤0.05) between vitamin E supplemented and unsupplemented infected rats 5.16±1.8´106/ml and 8.8±0.6´106/ml respectively. Major organs such as Liver, Spleen, Heart and Kidney were grossly affected. Lesions were pronounced in unsupplemented infected rats. Thus, vitamin E supplementation plays a role in modulating severity of infection in supplemented rats. Vitamin E supplementation may be of value if combined with conventional trypanocides in the treatment and or management of trypanosomosis infection. Keywords : Vitamin E, anaemia, Trypanosom nrucei, rats. Tropical Veterinarian Vol. 24 (3) 2006: pp. 37-45