Efficacy of Maytenius senegalensis (l) extracts on rats experimentally infected with Schistosoma mansoni

Abstract

Maytenius senegalensis extracts was obtained using the solvent polarity technique and were tested on 3-4 weeks rats, infected with Schistosoma mansoni cercariae. Three batches of rats with plant extracts of cold water acetone and methanol were administered orally at 40g/kg body weight. This gave a cure rate ranging from 91.56% to 87.76% in the rats; while praziquantel administered at 60mg/kg body weight gave a cure rate 87.76%.These results are statistically significant (p>0.05). The therapeutic nature of the extracts and praziquantel reduced the pathological conditions of infected animals as evident by mottling of the liver with mean liver mottling score of 4.4 and 4.6 granolumas recorded and the level of damage values of 4.4 and 4.6 in the rats. Using t-test and ANOVA shows that there was no significant difference between therapeutic scores of plant extracts and praziquantel (p>0.05) as shown by the pathological changes observed in the test animals.