IN VIVO ANTITRYPANOSOMAL ACTIVITY OF IPOMOEA BATATAS METHANOL LEAF EXTRACT IN TRYPANOSOMA BRUCEI-INFECTED ALBINO RATS

Human African trypanosomiasis and animal trypanosomiasis remain significant parasitic diseases in sub-Saharan Africa. However, the limitations associated with conventional antitrypanosomal drugs have prompted the search for safer and more accessible therapeutic alternatives from medicinal plants. This study investigated the in vivo antitrypanosomal activity of methanol leaf extract of Ipomoea batatas against T. brucei in albino rats. Twenty-four albino rats were assigned to six groups (n = 4): rats treated with 100 mg/kg or 200 mg/kg of the extract, extract control, normal control, infected untreated control, and a standard-drug group treated with diminazene aceturate. Parasitaemia was monitored microscopically for five consecutive days, and the data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. The extract produced a dose-related reduction in parasitaemia, with the 200 mg/kg treatment generally producing greater suppression than the 100 mg/kg dose. However, statistically significant reductions were observed only on Day 4 and 5 relative to the infected untreated control. Diminazene aceturate produced complete clearance of detectable parasitemia from day 5. The findings indicate that the methanol leaf extract of I. batatas possesses measurable but moderate in vivo antitrypanosomal activity against T. brucei. However, its efficacy was lower than that of DMA. The observed activity may be associated with the presence of bioactive phytochemicals in the leaves. Further studies are required to identify the active constituents, establish their mechanisms of action, evaluate toxicity and pharmacokinetics, and determine whether the extract or its purified fractions have potential for development as Antitrypanosomal agents