Extracts of Aloe vera were administered to experimentally infected mice with the Nigeria strain of Trypanosoma brucei brucei. The thirty-two (32) mice involved in the study were split into eight (8) groups of 4 mice each and treated intraperitoneally with the aqueous and ethanolic Aloe vera extracts of 40, 80, 20 mg/Kg body weight of aqueous extracts and 3.5mg/Kg (Berenil®). The untreated with 3.5mg/Kg (standard trypanocidal drug) achieved aparasitaemia of 3 days post treatment. The toxicity of the extract to the parasite was concentration-dependent. 80mg/Kg aqueous extract showed the most significant reduction in parasitaemia and effected the most dramatic post treatment reduction. This was followed by 40mg/Kg aqueous extract treatment regimen. The haematocrit value decreased with increasing concentration of both the aqueous and ethanolic extracts. Bio-Research Vol. 3(1) 2005: 21-25
N Ivoke
