*Emmanuel O. Ogbadoyi, Adamu Y. Kabiru, and Roseline F. Omotosho
One of the major problems that severely limit trypanosomiasis chemotherapy is the unwillingness of pharmaceutical companies to invest in development of drugs against trypanosomiasis for lack of financial incentives because the disease affects largely the rural poor in Africa. Extracts with activity against diseases of both the rich and the poor is more likely to attract investment and be developed into drugs. Garcinia kola nut extracts have this potential because it is believed to have many medicinal properties. This study was therefore designed to evaluate the therapeutic potentials of methanol extracts of G. kola nuts in the chemotherapy of experimental African trypanosomiasis. Mice infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei were treated with 100% and 50% (v/v) methanol extracts of G. kola nut at dose levels of 200,400 and 600mg/kg body weight per day for 21 consecutive days. Parasitemia in all treated animals continuously increased till death except for the group administered 600mg/kg body weight per day of the 50% v/v methanol extract which maintained very low parasite count for close to four months after treatment was stopped. It is concluded that 50% methanol extract of G. kola nut extract is highly trypanostatic.
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