EFFECTS OF DIETARY VITAMINS C AND E ON BODY TEMPERATURE, BODY WEIGHT AND HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETRES IN WISTAR RATS INFECTED WITH T. bruceibrucei (Federe strain) DURING THE HOT RAINY SEASON

Effects of the administration of vitamins C and E on body temperature, body weight and haematological parametres in Wistar Rats infected with T. brucei brucei (Federe strain) were evaluated. Twenty five adult rats were randomly divided into five groups of five rats each. Group A was neither treated nor infected, group B was infected with 1 × 106 in 0.2 mL blood/PBS of  innoculum, groups C, D and E were given the same dose of innoculum and in addition, they were treated orally with vitamins C, E, and the combination of both at a dosage of 150 mg/kg body weight, respectively. Body temperature showed a significant (p<0.05) decrease in all infected and vitamin treated groups either singly or in their combined form compared to group B. Observed result of the  initial and final live body weights in groups A and E were not significantly (p>0.05)  different. Groups C showed a significant (p<0.05) decrease, while the decrease in groups B and D were highly significant (p<0.01), respectively. Haematological parametres were significantly (p<0.05) higher in all infected and treated groups compared to group B. In conclusion, combined anti-oxidants capacity of both vitamins C and E mitigated the negative effects observed in the measured parametres in the Wistar rats better than single administration