Trypanostatic Effect of Millet-garlic Blended Diet on Rats Infected with T. b. brucei

Aim: The nutraceutic effect of millet-garlic blend against trypanosomiasis in Trypanosoma brucei brucei challenged rats was investigated in this study.

Experimental Design: The experimental rats were grouped into A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and J in a complete randomised clinical trial design. Each group consists of three (3) rats randomly assigned.

Place and Duration of the Study: The research work was conducted in the Department of Animal Production Technology, Federal College of Wildlife Management, New Bussa, Niger State, Nigeria. The four weeks feeding trial aspect of the work was carried out in the Biochemistry and Nutrition laboratory while the parasitological aspect was conducted in the veterinary clinic of the department.

Methodology: Albino Wister rats were randomly grouped into ten (10) treatments consisting of three (3) rats in each treatment (i.e A-J). Graded level of inclusion of blended millet- garlic at 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25% level was fed to treatments A-E. Group F, served as the control group, hence, were fed the conventional feed only. To group G, pulverised millet only (without garlic added to it) was fed to it, while group H, were fed with conventional feed supplemented with garlic only. Another group that was fed with the supplemented diet at the average inclusion rate of 15% for 3 days prior to infection forms group I. In the 10th group (i.e. J), the feeding formular was similar to group I but the feeding period prior to infection was extended to 7 days. Thereafter, parasitaemia was monitored at two days interval. In addition, the effects of non prophylactic feeding (at 25% inclusion) and seven days prophylactic feeding (at 12.5% inclusion) of the experimental diet on the haematological parameters of experimental rats was also investigated in separate groups.

Results: While all the groups non-prophylactically fed the experimental diet at various inclusion level died before the 21st day into experiment, the group fed the supplemented diet prophylactically for three (3) days died on the 27th day into the experiment. Interestingly, the group fed prophylactically for seven days at 12.5% level of inclusion level exhibited trypanostatic activity, A significant difference (P = 0.05) in the haematological parameters between the group prophylactically fed the millet-garlic blend and the group on non-prophylactic treatment was also observed.

Conclusion: This study demonstrate the efficacy of prophylactic feeding of millet-garlic blend as a trypanostatic agent against proliferation of the parasites in the experimental animals and as a haematopoietic agent.