Trypanocidal potentials of Jatropha curcas L. 1753 leaf extracts and fractions in vivo

Trypanosomiasis is a debilitating parasitic disease affecting both humans and animals, leading to substantial economic losses in the livestock sector due to reduced productivity and increased mortality. As resistance to conventional drugs escalates, interest in plant-based alternatives has grown. Jatropha curcas (JC), widely used in traditional medicine systems including Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has demonstrated promising anti-trypanosomal activity. It is known as mǎfēng shù (麻风树) or “Leprosy Tree’’ in TCM and its varies potential has been widely described in various studies. However, this study specifically evaluated the therapeutic potential of various JC aqueous extracts on weight, body temperature, and parasitaemia levels in Trypanosoma congolense -infected mice. Ninety mice were randomly assigned to 8 (groups 4–8 have 3 subgroups) experimental groups. Mice in all groups, except the control, were inoculated with Trypanosoma congolense (TC) and treated with Diminazene aceturate (DA) and varying doses of aqueous, methanol, and solvent fractions of JC extracts. Parasitaemia was monitored daily, and blood samples were collected for hematological analysis. Tissue (spleen and liver) were accessed for changes in microscopic examination. The results indicated no statistically significant weight changes between treatment groups ( p > 0.05), although slight fluctuations in weight were observed across groups. Similarly, the treatment had minimal effects on body temperature, with no significant differences observed across groups ( p > 0.05). On parasitaemia, aqueous extracts at higher doses (of 80 and 40 mg/kg) significantly reduced parasitaemia ( p < 0.05) compared to controls, particularly between 2–6 days. Methanol and ethyl acetate extracts also showed significant parasitaemia reduction ( p < 0.05), with the 15 mg/kg methanol dose demonstrating the highest efficacy. However, butanol and hexane extracts did not significantly reduce parasitaemia ( p > 0.05) and many of the tissues showed different changes on histological analysis. This study demonstrates that JC extracts, particularly aqueous, methanol, and ethyl acetate, exhibit significant anti-trypanosomal activity, by reducing parasitaemia levels in infected mice, likely due to the presence of bioactive phytochemicals such as alkaloids, flavonoids, and saponins. Although the extracts did not completely eliminate the parasites like common drug, however they contributed to improvements in weight, packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cell counts and histological changes, proving their potential therapeutic effects when used appropriately. Also, toxicity concerns, evidenced by the observed histology changes in higher-dose groups, warrant further investigation. The study supports the need for optimized formulations and dosing regimens for JC as a potential anti-trypanosomal agent.