Effects of Crude Root Extracts of Senna Didymobotrya on Caecal Amoebiasis in Mice

Anti-amoebic effects of crude root extracts of Senna didymobotrya against Entamoeba histolytica infecting caecum of mice were studied. Caecal amoebiasis was induced by injection of Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites directly into the caecum. Mice were treated orally with the root dichloromethane extracts, ethyl acetate extracts, methanol total extracts, methanol successive extracts, hexane extracts, water extracts, metronidazole and normal saline for five consecutive days and examined on the sixth day. At a dose of 500mg/g/day, root extracts of dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, methanol total, methanol successive, hexane and water had a curative rate of 50, 66.7,100, 66.7, and 83.3%, each, respectively. At a concentration of 1mg/g/day, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, methanol total, water, hexane extracts were effective in 33.3 each, 83.3 each and 66.7% of the cases respectively, while methanol successive extract at a dose of less than 500mg/kg/day did not cure any mice. Metronidazole at a concentration of 125mg/kg/day had a curative rate of 100%. Severity of caecal wall ulceration reduced in mice which received extracts and metronidazole compared to negative control animals.