Toxicological Evaluation of Bee Sting in Plasmodium berghei Infected Mice

Aim: Based on the traditional and scientific claims of intra-dermal antiplasmodial activity of bee stings, its effect on liver and serum enzymes in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice were investigated.

Methodology: Twenty albino mice were intra-peritoneally infected with P. berghei and divided into four animals per group. Group I was set up as negative control (parasitized untreated), group II as parasitized treated with 5 mg chloroquine/kg body weight, group III as suppressive treated, group IV as curative treated and group five as not parasitized not treated.

Results: The results of serum alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) of the infected treated with chloroquine shows significant increase when compared to other experimental groups (p˂ 0.05). Whereas, there was increase in liver AST in group II, group III and group IV when compared to not parasitized not treated (p˂ 0.05). Also, there was significant decrease in liver ALT activity in all the experimental groups. The serum and liver gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) showed no significant difference (p<0.05) in the curative and suppressive groups when compared to the standard drug (chloroquine). Whereas, parasitized not treated group shows significant increase (p<0.05) in the liver GGT and ALP when compared with other experimental groups. Therefore, these increases in specific activity of the parasitized untreated group might be due to infection.

Conclusion: It can be concluded that bee sting have ameliorative effect against changes caused by P. berghei.