Effects of Vitamin C and Choline Chloride Supplementation on Temperature and Some Haematological Parameters in Trypanosoma congolense Infected Rats

Aims: Effects of Vitamin C and Choline chloride supplementation on temperature and some haematological parameters were investigated in Trypanosoma congolense infected rats.

Methodology: A total of twenty five (25) healthy albino rats weighing between 113.5-154.3 g were used for the study. They were randomly divided into groups (A-E) of five rats per group. Group A was uninfected untreated which served as the control, group B was infected untreated. Groups C, D and E were infected treated with Choline chloride, Vitamin C and combination of Choline chloride and Vitamin C respectively.

Results: The mean body temperature was significantly higher (p<0.05) in the infected untreated group on days 21 and 28 post infection, when compared to the infected supplemented treated groups. The mean packed cell volume (PCV) decreased significantly (p <0.05) in the infected untreated group on days 21 and 28 post infection, when compared to the other infected treated groups. The mean haemoglobin concentration (HB) decreased significantly (p <0.05) in the infected untreated group on days 7, 21 and 28 post infection, when compared to the other infected and treated groups. The mean red blood cell counts (RBC) decreased significantly (p <0.05) in the infected untreated group on day 28 post infection compared to the other infected and treated groups. The mean total white blood cell counts (TWBC) decreased significantly (p <0.05) in the infected untreated group on days 14 and 21 post infection compared to the infected treated groups. On day 28 post infection TWBC counts in the group treated with combination of vitamin C and Choline chloride increased (p <0.05) when compared with the other treated groups. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in all the infected treated groups when compared with the control

Conclusion: It was concluded from the study that combined supplementation of Vitamin C and Choline chloride will be more effective in ameliorating the haematological impacts of trypanosomosis.