Effects of Antioxidants on the Efficacy of Diminazene Aceturate Treatment of Experimental Murine Trypanosoma Congolense Infection

Abstract

The effects of four antioxidants [ascorbic acid (AA), dimethy sulfoxide or lysine (DMSO), tocopherol and selenium] on the efficacy of diminazene aceturate treatment in experimental murine T. congolense infection were assessed using changes in PCV, Hb, RBC, liver and spleen masses. Infected rats were treated on day 7 post infection (PI) with 7 mg^-kg diminazene aceturate. Each antioxidant was administered in drinking water daily to different groups of treated rats beginning from the day of treatment. Six rats were sacrificed from each group on days 7 and 14 post treatment (PT). The increase in liver mass caused by the infection was not significant (p>0.05). The mean liver mass on day 7 PT in the DMSO group was significantly (p<0.05) higher than the control value. The lowest mean liver mass on day 14 PT was recorded in the tocopherol group and followed by the selenium group. The mean liver mass in the AA group was comparable with the control value. The tocopherol group had the lowest mean spleen mass by day 14 PT, while the selenium group had the highest. The mean spleen mass in the tocopherol group was significantly higher (p<0.0001) than the value in the uninfected control group. Thus, the spleen never fully recovered following any antioxidant supplementation. The recovery of PCV, Hb and RBC were highest in the tocopherol group and least in the DMSO group. The superior performance of tocopherol may be related to other properties in addition to its antioxidant action.