Effect of Methanol Extract and Fractions of Chrysophylum albidum Bark on Gut Morphology in bled and Plasmodium-Infected Mice

Abstract

The gut stimulating effect of methanolic extract of Chrysophyllum albidum bark (MeCaB) and its’ chromatographic fractions (CFr 1, 2 and 3) was investigated in mice using two separate models of experimental anaemia. Male Swiss mice (19-22g) were inoculated with Plasmodium berghei bergehi and treated with distilled water, Chrysophylum albidum (1000mg/Kg), CFr-1(250mg/Kg), CFr-2 (250mg/Kg), CFr-3 (250mg/Kg) and Chloroquine (30mg/kg). A control group of mice were not parasitized. In another experiment, mice were made anaemic by bleeding out blood via the retro-orbital plexus and thereafter treated with Normal saline, Chrysophylum albidum (1000mg/Kg) or Ferrous sulphate (100mg/Kg). An un-bled group served as control. Body weights and parasitaemia counts were monitored daily. Blood was collected for complete blood and parasitaemia counts by days 3 and 7 of experiment and were later sacrificed (by day 7) with the duodenal and jejunal segments of the small intestine excised from each animal for histological analysis. Data were expressed as MeanSEM, analyzed using one-way ANOVA and p0.05 was statistically significant. Significant reductions in body weight and blood cell counts were observed in the untreated inoculated and bled animals. Treatment with C. albidum bark and fractions CFr-1 and CFr-3 significantly reduced parasitaemia levels in the inoculated mice and increased the body weights and blood cell counts towards control values in both models of anaemia. Chloroquine totally cleared the parasitaemia. Duodenal cryptal depths, surface area, villi height/cryptal depth ratio were significantly higher in treated when compared with the untreated parasitized animals. Mice either in the parasitized or bled models treated with MeCaB and fractions had significantly higher jejunal heights, cryptal depth, surface area and width by day 7. Significant decreases were observed in the duodenal and jejunal villi height/width ratio of parasitized treated with fractions 1, 2 and 3 by day 7 compared with PUn. Bled mice treated with MeCaB had significantly lower duodenal villi height/width ratio. Observations from this study suggest that Chrysophyllum albidum and its fractions (1 and 3) promote and help maintain normal homeostatic condition which boosts growth performance via increased absorptive capacity.