Terpenoids from Salvia officinalis and sesquiterpene lactones from Cichorium intybus: anti-trypanosomal efficacy and alleviation of tissue injury in Trypanosoma evansi-infected rats

Trypanosoma evansi is a common protozoal disease affecting livestock, involving camels, and results in considerable economic losses. The purpose of this research was to assess the efficacy of the terpenoids-enriched fraction of Salvia officinalis (S. officinalis) and the sesquiterpene lactones-enriched fraction of Cichorium intybus (C. intybus) against trypanosomiasis and the associated oxidative damage in liver and kidney of Trypanosoma evansi (T. evansi)-infected rats. A total of one hundred male rats were equally divided into five groups: Group A served as negative control. Group B received an intraperitoneal infection with T. evansi (1 × 104 trypanosomes/rat). Group C was infected and treated intramuscularly with 7 mg/kg body weight of diminazene aceturate. Groups D and E were also infected with T. evansi and given 300 mg/kg body weight as a daily oral dose of S. officinalis terpenoids-enriched fraction and 200 mg/kg body weight of C. intybus sesquiterpene lactones-enriched fraction, respectively, for 1 month. T. evansi infection induced an elevation in serum hepatic transaminases activity and urea level with hyperglobulinemia. Along with histopathological alterations in the liver and kidney, T. evansi significantly decreased glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity and reduced glutathione (GSH) content, in addition to the elevation of malondialdehyde (MDA) content in both tissues. The administration of S. officinalis and C. intybus fractions markedly reduced the level of parasitemia and alleviated the biochemical alterations and oxidative damage induced by T. evansi. The terpenoids-enriched fraction of S. officinalis and sesquiterpene lactones-enriched fraction of C. intybus display a remarkable anti-trypanosomal and antioxidant potentials and may be promising sources for novel trypanocidal agents.