Therapeutic Efficacy of Double Doses of Fansidar^®, Chloroquine, Diminazene aceturate (Berenil^®) and a Combination of these Drugs in the Treatment of Experimental Trypanosoma brucei brucei Infection in Rats

Egbe-Nwiyi, T. N. ¹, Kumbongsi, N. S. ¹ & Shamaki, B. U.^2*

¹Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria
²Department of Veterinary Physiology, Pharmacology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria

Shamaki, B. U., Department of Veterinary Physiology, Pharmacology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria.

Keywords: Fansidar®, Chloroquine; Diminazene Aceturate; Trypanosoma brucei brucei; Rats

Abstract

Seventy-two healthy adult albino rats of both sexes weighing 180-200g were used for investigate the therapeutic efficacy of double doses of fansidar^® (25mg perimethamine and 500mg/ sulfadoxine), chloroquine, berenil^® (Diminazine aceturate) and a combination of the drugs in the treatment of experimental Federe strain of Trypanosome brucei brucei infection. The rats were separated into nine groups (A-I) of eight rats each. Rats in groups B-1 were each infected with T. b. brucei (1x10⁶ trypanosomes as group A served as uninfected untreated control. Group B rats served as infected untreated control, while rats in groups C, D, and E were treated with 3.5mg/kg of berenil^®, 1.0 l/5kg of fansidar^® and 0.5ml/10kg of chloroquine respectively. Group F, G and H animals were treated with 7.0mg/kg of berenil^®, 2.0ml/5kg of fansidar^® and 1.0ml/10kg of chloroquine respectively while rats in group I were administered with (double doses) a combination of 7.0mg/kg of berenil^®, 2.0ml/5kg of fansidar^® and 1.0ml/10kg of chloroquine. Parasitaemia developed within 4-6 days’ post-infection (PI) and treatment was instituted on day 8 PI. Pre-patent period was comparable ( P > 0.05 ) in all the infected groups while survival time was shorter ( P < 0>® treatment success. In conclusion double doses of Fansidar^® or chloroquine or in combination with berenil^® appeared not to be efficacious while single or double dose of berenil^® achieved remarkable success.

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. (CC BY 4.0).