In vivo antimalarial evaluation of Gomphostenins.
OBJECTIVE
The present study aims to evaluate the in vivo antimalarial potential of the leaf extract of Gomphostemma niveum and two new compounds; named as Gomphostenin (GN-6) and acetyl Gomphostenin (GN-10) isolated and purified from this plant against Plasmodium berghei in mice.


METHODS
The blood schizontocidal activity was performed in early infection of Plasmodium berghei and also in established infection of Plasmodium berghei. The mice were orally administrated with various doses of water and chloroform extracts of leaves of Gomphostemma niveum (GN-W and GN-C, 300, 400 and 500 mg/kg/day), GN-6 and GN-10 (50, 100, 150 and 200mg/kg/day). Chloroquine (8 mg/kg) used as a positive control, while an equal volume of saline plus 0.5% tween-80 was used as a negative control.


RESULTS
GN-W, GN-C and pure compounds (GN-6 and GN-10) produced a dose dependent chemosuppression effect at various dose levels. GN-10 exhibited highest percent of chemosuppression i.e. 92.65% at a dose level of 200mg/kg/day. In case of curative test, the survival period of the parasitized infected mice was significantly prolonged at 200mg/kg dose of GN-10.


CONCLUSIONS
The studies have indicated that clerodane class of diterpenes GN-6 and GN-10 certainly holds great promise for malaria control and will be useful in antimalarial chemotherapy.
Sathe
M
M
Discovery Center, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Jhansi Road, Gwalior 474002 (MP), India.
Ghorpade
R
R
Srivastava
A K
AK
Kaushik
M P
MP
D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D019686:Lamiaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000187:drug effects*
D000962:Antimalarials; D010936:Plant Extracts