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