Screening of traditionally used plants for in vivo antimalarial activity in mice.
Aqueous ethanol (80%) extracts of six plants used traditionally for treatment of malaria, Vepris glomerata (F.Hoffm.) Engl (Rutaceae), Maranthus floribunda (Bak.) F.White (Chrysobalanaceae), Strophanthus eminii Asch. & Pax ex Pax (Apocynaceae), Cassia abbreviata Oliv. (Leguminosae) and Caesalpinia bonducella L. Fleming (Fabaceae) were screened for antimalarial activity to establish validity of their claims. The extracts exhibited antimalarial activity in the 4-day Peter's suppressive antimalarial assay in mice inoculated with red blood cells parasitized with Plasmodium berghei. The extracts gave ID(50) values of 42.8, 111.0, 639.3 and 1560 mg/kg body wt for C. bonducella, C. abbreviata, T. furialis and S. eminii, respectively. The ID(50) values for V. glomerata and M. floribunda were above 2400 mg/kg body wt, above which point solubility was a problem. All the tested extracts were innocuous to the mice, up to 2400 mg/kg body wt, suggesting they may be safe for short-term use.
Innocent
Esther
E
Department of Biological and Preclinical Studies, Institute of Traditional Medicine, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. gynura1955@yahoo.com
Moshi
Mainen J
MJ
Masimba
Pax J
PJ
Mbwambo
Zakaria H
ZH
Kapingu
Modest C
MC
Kamuhabwa
Appolinary
A
D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D019684:Magnoliopsida; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D021261:Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000187:drug effects*
D000962:Antimalarials; D010936:Plant Extracts