DOI: 10.36347/sajp

Pages: 38-42

In vitro trypanocidal activity of crude and fractionated aqueous stem bark of H. barteri against Trypanosoma brucei brucei and congolense was investigated. Varying concentrations of the crude extract were incubated with the parasites in the wells of microtitre plates. Motility of the parasites was monitored at 5 minutes interval for 1 hr. The crude extract was fractionated chromatographically using different solvents and in vitro trypanocidal activities of the eluents against the test organisms determined. Phytochemical screening of both the crude and fractionated extract revealed the presence of secondary metabolites that include flavonoids, tanins, alkaloids, terpenoids and carbohydrates. The crude extract had the highest in vitro trypanocidal activity. Motility of T. congolens ceased 40 minutes after incubation with the crude extract at 0.25 mg concentration. Motility of both parasites ceased 35-40 minutes after incubation with 0.5mg of the crude extract. Fractionation reduced insignificantly the in vitro trypanocidal activity against the parasites. Among the four fractions obtained, Methanolic fraction gave the highest trypanocidal activity. Parasite motility stopped 35-40 minutes after incubation. It is obvious that the stem bark of H. barteri has in vitro trypanocidal activity and fractionation of the crude spatially distributed the various metabolites among the solvents.