The effects of protein malnutrition and experimental infection with Trypanosoma brucei on gossypol treatment in the rat: haematological and serum biochemical changes.

This study was designed to evaluate the interaction between protein malnutrition, gossypol treatment and blood parasitosis (Trypanosoma brucei) in the Wistar rat. Haematological and serum biochemical changes were evaluated in the rats, which were placed on two planes of nutrition--low protein (LP) and normal protein (NP)--and either treated with gossypol or infected with Trypanosoma brucei, or both. Higher parasitaemia occurred in gossypol-treated NP rats than in the corresponding LP group. Gossypol treatment and trypanosomal infection, either alone or in concert, caused an anaemia that was both macrocytic and hypochromic. Both treatments together also caused increases in serum alkaline phosphatase and alanine aminotransferase activities, which were accompanied by depressed serum albumin concentrations, suggestive of hepatic dysfunction in affected rats. These results suggest that, with adequate protein intake, the growth and infectivity of trypanosomes is not inhibited by gossypol but that protein malnutrition has a beneficial effect of reduced parasitaemia. Unfortunately, this beneficial effect is counteracted by gossypol enhancement of hepatic dysfunction caused by trypanosomes.