Antitrypanosomal Activities of Ethyl Acetate Extracts of Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) and Its Effect on Haematological Parameters of Trypanosoma brucei brucei Infected Rats

Abstract

Aims: Ethyl acetate extract of honey bee Apis mellifera (600 mg/kg/bw) was investigated for its effect on parasitemia and some haematological parameters in Trypanosoma brucei brucei infected rats. Methodology: Five groups comprising of four mice per group were used in the study.  Group 1, 2 and 3 were infected prophylactic treated, infected early treated and infected standard drug (berenil) treated (3.5 mg/kg/day) respectively. Group 4 and 5 serve as negative control (infected not treated) and normal control (uninfected not treated) respectively. The crude extract was partially purified using column chromatography to give fraction 1-3. Results: The administration of the crude extract shows reduced parasitaemia and extension of life span from 5 days infected not treated (control) groups to 14 and 15days for infected prophylactic and infected early treated groups respectively.  Also, the partially purified fraction 1 and 2 shows low parasitemia with survival of 6 days while that of fraction 3 is 3 days compared with infected untreated group which survive for 5 days. There were significant increase (p<0.05) in the haemoglobin (HB) concentration, packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cells (RBC) counts and white blood cells (WBC) counts of infected treated groups when compared with infected not treated group. Whereas, there was no significant difference (p<0.05) in the RBC and WBC counts of infected early treated group when compare with infected untreated group. Conclusion: It can be deduced that methanol extract of Apis mellifera possessed antitrypanosomal activities with ameliorative effect against haematological symptoms of Africa trypanosomiasis.