A Trial to Prevent Vibrio Cholerae Infections in Mice using Napoleona Imperialis Leaves Extracts and Tetracycline

Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate the protective effects of Napoleona imperialis leaves extracts and tetracycline against Vibrio cholerae ETOR type isolated from Ubahudara and Aruolah streams in Uli community, Ihiala L.G.A, Anambra State.  A total of sixteen (16) water samples were drawn from each stream and screened for the presence of Vibrio cholerae using pour plate method. The colonies generated from the primary isolation was sub-cultured, characterized and identified using their colony description, morphological and biochemical characteristics. The pathogenic potential of the organism on mice was investigated by challenging the mice orally using 0.5 ml of the inoculum (10⁸cells/ml). The infected mice were kept under observation for 4 weeks for clinical signs, mortalities, gross lesions, histopathological changes and re-isolation from the internal organs after sacrificing the mice. The protective effects of Napoleona imperialis leaves extracts and tetracycline were investigated using in vivo method. The result revealed that Vibrio cholerae ETOR type was significantly (P˂ 0.05) seen more in Ubahudara stream (67.44%) than Aruolah stream (32.56%). There were gross clinical abnormalities: kidney and liver congestion, perihepatits and fluid accumulation in the intestines. The histopathological examination revealed marked mononuclear cell infiltration, disintegration of cartilage surrounding the bronchiole, necrosis of the tubules of kidney and red pulp of the spleen. The mean counts of the organism were significantly (P˂ 0.05) highest in the lungs, followed by the spleen, kidney while the liver was the least. The results of in vivo activity showed that Napoleona imperialis leaves extracts and tetracycline was effective in reducing pathological changes. Their effects were significant (P˂ 0.05) when compared with the infected non-treated mice. Thus, this study has shown that tetracycline is more effective in preventing the infections caused by Vibrio cholerae ETOR type when compared to Napoleona imperialis leaves extract.

Keywords: Napoleona imperialis, tetracycline, Vibrio cholerae, histopathological