Curative and Toxic Effects of Selected Medicinal Plants on Internal Organs of Rattus albus Experimentally Infected with Human Intestinal Parasites

Abstract

Curative and Toxic effects of selected plant extracts: (Napleonaea imperalis, Sida acuta and Vernonia amygdalina) on Rattus albus experimentally infected with human intestinal parasites was studied from October 2014 to March 2016. Two hundred and thirty (230) male and female patients presenting with symptoms of gastroenteritis and abdominal discomfort at GOPD, IMSUTH, Orlu, were selected for the study. Three hundred and twenty two uninfected laboratory animals used for the study were innoculated with 7 human intestinal parasites: Ascaris lumbricoides, Necator americanus, Hymenolepsis nana, Trichuris trichiura, Entamoeba histolytica,Taenia species and Trichomonas hominis.Eight weeks after, the experimentally infected Rattus albus were treated with 3 selected plant extracts: Vernonia amygdalina, Sida acuta and Napoleonae imperialis and observed for 3 weeks. The active principles of the selected medicinal plants were extracted with ethanol at 78oC using soxhlet extraction method. Fifty four laboratory animals of about 150g body weight each were used for toxicity test. The different treatment groups and controls were selected for histopathological studies using paraffin wax embedding method. The results showed that all 3 selected plant extracts contain Tanins, Saponins, Alkaloids, Flavonoids, Cardiac Glycosides, Phytate, Oxalate, Phenol, Steroids, Terpenoids and Cyanide. Curative tests showed that all the plant extracts exhibited anti – parasitic effects (Curative dose) against human intestinal helminthes and protozoa at 10µg/150g body weight. Toxicity test showed that Napoleonaea imperialis and Vernonia amygdalina extracts exhibited toxicity resulting to death of laboratory animals (LD50) at 50µg/150g while Sida acuta extract exhibited toxicity resulting to death of laboratory animals (LD50) at 40µg/150g. Three types of impairment: inflammatory changes, degenerative changes and distortion were observed on the intestine of the laboratory animals. On the kidneys, 5 types of impairment: lymphocytic infiltration, degenerative changes, necrosis, vacuolation, and distortion of stroma and glomerulus were observed. This study has shown that Napoleonae imperialis, Sida acuta and Vernonia amygdalina extracts exhibit curative effects on human intestinal parasites at low concentrations. At higher concentration, they exhibit toxic effects on host organs: intestine, kidney and liver.