Parasitology

Biography

Biography: Rahma Abu Bakr Musa Adam

Abstract

This study was planned to evaluate the prophylactic and curative activities of the methanol extract of two medicinal plants; Sterculia setigera bark and Lantana camara leaves and their combination against Schistosoma mansoni in white albino mice and to evaluate their effects on the major enzyme activities involved in liver metabolism during the course of infection. Liver function tests, total proteins, albumins, globulins, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspratate aminotransferase (AST) were measured. A group of 35 adult normal CD-1 Swiss albino mice, each weighing 20 gms, were divided into five groups and infected each with 80 S.mamsoni cercariae (Egyptian strain). Groups, one, two and three of the infected mice were treated orally with the extract in a dose rate of 500 mg /kg b.wt for five consecutive days; seven days before infection with S.mamsoni cercariae (Prophylactic), as well as four and seven weeks post- infection (curative). Group four was treated with praziquantel (PZQ) at a dose of 500 mg/kg b.wt for two consecutive days seven weeks post -infection (treated control), while in group five the mice were left untreated after infection (infected untreated control). Nine weeks post infection (constant period), the animals were sacrified, perfused to evaluate the efficacy of the plant extracts in the treatment of the infection.S. setigera bark, L. camara leaves and a combined dose of both extracts had a significant reduction in worm burden (29%,29%40% respectively) in vivo , and ova count and a decrease in the percentage of mature and immature stages, compare with praziquantel which has significant effect on biological parameters. The S.setigera bark extract had promising prophylactic activity (40% worm reduction) in vivo.Administration of S.setigera bark or L.camara leaves or combination extracts significantly diminished serum ALT and AST and restored albumin, globulins and total protein to the normal levels in both treated and prophylactic groups and improved A/G ratio. In conclusion the different extracts possess anti schistosomal, prophylactic a hepatoprotective activities.