Antitrypanosomal Activity of Allium porrum Ethyl Acetate Bulb Extract in Trypanosoma brucei brucei Experimentally Infected Wister Albino Rats

Aims: The present study investigated the antitrypanosomal activity of crude ethyl acetate bulb extracts of A. porrum plant against T. b. brucei.

Methodology: Twenty five male albino rats were divided into five groups and infected with x10⁶/ml of T. b. brucei. Group 1 was infected and untreated while groups 2-4 were infected and treated with single intraperitoneal injection 50, 75 and 100 mg/kg of ethyl acetate extract of A. porrum while a single dose 3.5 mg/kg diaminazene aceturate was administered to group 5 when parasitaemia was established at x10⁶ day 5 post infection.

Results: Clinical manifestations of trypanosomoses such as increased rectal temperature, weakness and dullness were observed in experimental rats in all the groups. There was decrease packed cell volume (PCV) and red blood cell count (RBC) in group 1-4 which was not significant (p>0.05) while group 5 had a significant increase (p<0.05) in PCV and non-significant increase (p>0.05) in RBC post treatment. There were feeble changes in the pre-treatment and post-treatment parasitemia level in the groups treated with ethyl acetate extract of A. porrum while there was significant clearance in parasitemia in the control group.

Conclusion: Interperitoneal injection of ethyl acetate extracts of A. porrum at the dose and concentration used in this study, has trypanosomal reduction activity in wister rats.