Screening extracts of Madagascan plants in search of antiplasmodial compounds.
One hundred and ninety plants, of which 51 are used to treat malaria in traditional medicine, were collected in five different ecosystems of Madagascar for a screening programme devoted to the search of naturally-occurring antimalarial compounds. Thirty-nine plants, of which 12 are used as herbal antimalarials, were found to display in vitro activity against Plasmodium falciparum with a median inhibitory concentration (IC50) lower than 5 microg/ml while 9 had an IC50 ranging from 5 to 7.5 microg/ml. Seventeen of them exhibited cytotoxic effects on murine P388 leukemia cells with an IC50 < 10 microg/ml. The biological activities were mostly located in the ethyl acetate fractions. Bioassay-directed fractionation is underway to isolate the active constituents.
Institut Malgache de Recherches Appliquées, 101-Antananarivo, Madagascar. mambu@mnhn.fr
Philippe
P
Rasoanaivo
David
D
Ramanitrahasimbola
Herintsoa
H
Rafatro
Dina
D
Rakotondramanana
Baholy
B
Robijaona
Armand
A
Rakotozafy
Suzanne
S
Ratsimamanga-Urverg
Mehdi
M
Labaïed
Philippe
P
Grellier
Lucile
L
Allorge
Lengo
L
Mambu
François
F
Frappier
D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D008270:Madagascar; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D021261:Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects*
D000962:Antimalarials; D010936:Plant Extracts