title: Evaluation of the use of Cocos nucifera as antimalarial remedy in Malaysian folk medicine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  White flesh extract of Cocos nucifera (coconut) was studied to ascertain the ethnopharmacological standing of its antimalarial usage in Malaysian folk medicine.
  
  
  METHODS
  The crude methanol extract was investigated for phytochemical constituents and acute oral toxicity. Antimalarial activity of different extract doses of 50, 100, 200 and 400mg/kg were investigated in vivo against Plasmodium berghei (NK65) infections in mice during early, established and residual infections. Chloroquine (20mg/kg) and pyrimethamine (1.2mg/kg) were used as reference drugs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results revealed that the extract contained some phytochemical constituents and is toxicologically safe by oral administration. The extract significantly reduced the parasitaemia by the 200 and 400mg/kg doses in the all three in vivo assessment assays. However, the extract did not significantly increase the survival time of the infected mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The observed pharmacological activities suggest that the Malaysian folkloric medicinal application of Cocos nucifera has a pharmacological basis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. husssien75@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Abdulelah H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Al-Adhroey
authors.forename: Zurainee M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Nor
authors.forename: Hesham M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Al-Mekhlafi
authors.forename: Adel A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Amran
authors.forename: Rohela
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mahmud
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003059:Cocos / Q000737:chemistry*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000431:Ethanol