EFFECT OF PRE AND POST-INFECTION ADMINISTRATION OF ZINC AND SELENIUM ON Trypanosoma brucei bruceiINFECTIONIN WISTAR ALBINO RATS

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Date
2015-02
Authors
TESE, Timothy
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Abstract
The effect of pre and post-infection administration of zinc and selenium on Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection in Wistar albino rats was investigated. Rats (54) were divided into nine groups of six (6) rats each. Groups I, II and III served as normal, normal rats administered with combined zinc and selenium and T. brucei brucei infected untreated controls respectively. Rats in groups III-IX were infected intraperitoneally with 1x103parasite load. Groups IV, V and VI were the pre-treated infected groups that were administered with daily dose of 50mg per kilogram body weight of zinc, 10mg per kilogram body weight of selenium and combination of zinc and selenium respectively for seven (7) days. Whereas groups VII, VIII and IX represented the post-infected treated groups that were administered with daily dose of 50mg per kilogram body weight of zinc, 10mg per kilogram body weight of selenium and combination of zinc and selenium respectively for seven (7) days. Administration of zinc and selenium significantly (P<0.05) kept parasitaemia lower in the pre and post-infected treated groups when compared to the infected untreated group. The level of parasitaemia in the pre-treated infected groups were significantly (P<0.05) lower than that observed in the post-infected treated groups. Infection with T. b. brucei significantly (P<0.05) lowered mean values of packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin concentration (Hb), red blood cell count (RBC), total white blood cell count (WBC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) and differential leukocytes count in the infected untreated rats compared to the pre and post-infected treated groups. The results obtained for serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities in the infected untreated group were significantly (P<0.05) higher when compared to the pre and post-infected treated groups. Zinc and selenium caused significantly (P<0.05) lower urea and creatinine concentrations in the pre and post-infected treated groups when compared to the infected untreated group. Significantly (P<0.05) higher levels of serum total protein, albumin and total bilirubin were recorded in the pre and post infected treated groups when compared to the infected untreated group. Administration of zinc and selenium to the pre and post-infected groups caused significantly (P<0.05) lower values in the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA), with significantly (P<0.05) higher activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the liver and kidney homogenate. The relative organ weights obtained showed that the kidney, liver, spleen, lungs and heart weight lowered significantly (P<0.05) in the pre and post-infected treated compared to infected untreated group. Treatment with zinc and selenium may contribute in delaying the parasitaemia and protection against cellular damage during Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection in rats and control of trypanosomiasis.
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A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN BIOCHEMISTRY DEPARTMENT OF BIOCHEMISTRY FACULTY OF SCIENCE AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA NIGERIA
Keywords
EFFECT,, PRE,, POST-INFECTION ADMINISTRATION,, ZINC,, SELENIUM,, Trypanosoma brucei brucei,, INFECTIONIN WISTAR ALBINO RATS,
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