Quassia amara L. (Simaroubaceae) leaf tea: effect of the growing stage and desiccation status on the antimalarial activity of a traditional preparation.
In French Guiana, Quassia amara L. (Simaroubaceae) leaf tea is a well-known widely used traditional antimalarial remedy. Impact of the vegetal sampling condition on in vivo and in vitro antimalarial activity was assessed. Traditional infusions were prepared with juvenile or mature leaves, both either fresh or dried. Results showed that growing stage and freshness of vegetal material exert a striking effect on antimalarial activity, both in vitro and in vivo. By far, leaf tea made from fresh juvenile (FJ) Quassia amara leaves was the most active. In vitro, active component (simalikalactone D) concentration correlates biological activities, although unexplained subtle variations were observed. In vivo, tea made with dried juvenile (DJ) leaves displays a peculiar behavior, meaning that some components may help simalikalactone D delivery or may be active in vivo only, therefore enhancing the expected curative effect of the traditional preparation.
Bertani
S
S
Laboratoire de Parasitologie Comparée et Modèles Expérimentaux, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 61 rue Buffon, Paris Cedex 05, France.
Houël
E
E
Bourdy
G
G
Stien
D
D
Jullian
V
V
Landau
I
I
Deharo
E
E
D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001628:Beverages; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003890:Desiccation; D005616:French Guiana; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D021261:Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000254:growth & development; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects*; D010967:Plasmodium yoelii; D011786:Quality Control; D032271:Quassia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development*; D036702:Quassins / Q000032:analysis
D000962:Antimalarials; D010936:Plant Extracts; D036702:Quassins; C024970:simalikalactone D