In vitro and in vivo antiplasmodial activity of Momordica balsamina alone or in a traditional mixture.
BACKGROUND
Because of the dramatic situation of malaria in Africa, there is an urgent need to find new and cheap drugs, such as herbal medicines. Here we report the study of the in vitro and in vivo antimalarial activity of Momordica balsamina alone or in a traditional mixture used in Niger.


METHODS
Extracts were obtained with different solvents and tested in vitro on Plasmodium falciparum and in vivo on Plasmodium vinckei.


RESULTS
The best extracts are methanolic and present promising results in vivo by intraperitoneal and oral administration.


CONCLUSIONS
The antimalarial activity of M. balsamina, traditionally used in Niger, is confirmed in vitro and in vivo without any toxicity in healthy mice.
Benoit-Vical
F
F
Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination du CNRS, UPR8241, Toulouse, France. Francoise.Vical@toulouse.inserm.fr
Grellier
P
P
Abdoulaye
A
A
Moussa
I
I
Ousmane
A
A
Berry
A
A
Ikhiri
K
K
Poupat
C
C
D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy; D051379:Mice; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D035704:Molluginaceae; D029775:Momordica; D009548:Niger; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects; D031685:Sesamum
D000962:Antimalarials; D010936:Plant Extracts