Effect of Vitamin E on Serum Albumin, Total Protein, Total and Conjugated Bilirubin of Male Wistar Albino Rats Infected With

The research was undertaken to determine the effect of vitamin E serum albumin, total protein, total and conjugated bilirubin of male Wistar albino rats infected with T. b. brucei. . Fifty-four (54) male Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into six (6) groups of three (3) rats each replicated three (3) times. The rats were marked and kept in stainless wire cages labeled A-F. Groups A, B, and C were normal, negative and standard controls respectively. Groups D, E and F were infected with 1.0 x 10 6 trypanosomes and treated with 0.5mg/kg (low-dose), 2.5mg/kg (medium-dose), and 5.0mg/kg (high-dose) of vitamin E per body weight per day respectively. The experiment lasted for twenty-one days from the day T. b. brucei infection was established . The sample of serum was collected every seven days across the groups and subjected to biochemical determination of protein and bilirubin. There were significant differences (p<0.05) in the effect of vitamin E on the levels of the albumin, total protein, total and conjugated bilirubin. Hypoalbuminemia and hypoproteinemia were found in the negative control group which was dependent on the duration of study. Albumin and total protein levels were highest in the high-dose vitamin E group when compared to the low-dose vitamin E rats. Hyperbilirubinaemia was found in the negative control group which was week-dependent. There were significant reductions in the concentrations of the total and conjugated bilirubin between the negative control group and the vitamin E treated groups. In conclusion, the administration of vitamin E caused significant increase in the serum albumin and total protein levels and reductions in the activities of the total and conjugated bilirubin of male Wistar albino rats.