A comparative study of the chemotherapeutic effects of diminazene aceturate and Ivermectin on Trypanosoma brucei brucei infected rats

ObjectiveTo investigate the comparative effect of diminazene aceturate (DA) or ivermectin in albino rats experimentally infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei.MethodsA total of 21 adult male albino rats were divided into three groups consisting 7 albino rats each and all the members of the groups were infected intraperitoneally with 6.3 × 106 trypanosomes in infected mouse blood diluted with normal saline. By 7 days, post-infection when parasitaemia was fully established and Groups A and C were treated with DA and ivermectin respectively, while Group B served as the control (untreated). Parameters assessed included rectal temperature, body weight changes, packed cell volume, total leucocyte counts, differential leucocyte counts and parasitaemia.ResultsThe results showed that following the treatment with DA and ivermectin at the peak of parasitaemia, the ivermectin in treated group remained parasitaemic till the end of the experiment. The survivability of ivermectin treated group was longer than those of the control group. DA on the other hand was able to effect a complete plasma clearance of the parasites within 48 h post-treatment at a dose of 3.5 mg/kg body weight. In the untreated control group, parasitaemia peaked on Day 7 post-infection, dropped transiently on Day 28 post-infection and peaked again with the second wave of parasitaemia showing no remission until the end of the experiment.ConclusionsIt was concluded from the results of this present study that DA has a better efficacy than ivermectin which has no chemotherapeutic effect against Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection. The efficacy of DA is on the decline because of drug resistance and incidence of relapse, therefore a search for effective alternative chemotherapy or drug combinations should be encouraged.