In vitro Parasite count and EC₅₀ in trypanosome cultures incubated with some selected iron chelators

Sulaiman Faoziyat A.¹*, Akanji M.A¹, Green, B. O², Badjatia, N³ and Gunzl A³

¹Biochemistry Department, University of Ilorin, PMB 1515 Ilorin, Nigeria.

²College of Naturopathic Medicine, University of Bridgeport, Connecticut, U.S.A.

³Genetics and Developmental Biology, University of Connecticut, Farmington USA.

*Corresponding author E-mail: faoziyat20022002@yahoo.com

Received 22 February, 2012; Accepted 02 March, 2012

Abstract

Trypanosoma brucei (Lister 427 strain) grown in in vitro cultures were incubated with some selected iron chelators. Parasite counts were done at 24hrs interval for 72hours to determine their effectiveness on parasites’ reduction. The EC₅₀ for each drug in the management of trypanosomiasis was also determined. While deferoxamine, deferiprone and adriamycin had the most significant effect (P < 0.05) on parasite reduction, Inositol heaxphosphate and Magnesium trisilicate had the least. Magnesium trisilicate was suggested to be a potent growth factor for the parasites rather than as inhibitor since no EC₅₀ could be calculated. The EC₅₀ for the drugs were calculated to be 8.02μM, 13.71μM, 27.30μM, 420.98μm, and 1404.02μM, for Deferoxamine, Deferiprone, Adriamycin, ibuprofen and Inositol hexaphosphate respectively. The order of efficacy of the drugs in the management of trypanosomiasis is thus: Deferoxamine > Deferiprone > Adriamycin  > Ibuprofen > Inositol Hexaphosphate > Mg. Trisilicate.

Keywords: Chelators, Deferoxamine, Deferiprone, Adriamycin, Ibuprofen, Magnesium trisilicate, inositol hexaphosphate Trypanosome culture, EC₅₀.