title: Antimalarial and analgesic activities of ethanolic leaf extract of Panicum maximum.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate antiplasmodial and analgesic activities of ethanolic leaf extract/fractions of Panicum maximum.
  
  
  METHODS
  The crude leaf extract (47-190 mg/kg) and fractions (chloroform, ethyl acqeous and methanol; 96 mg/kg) of Panicum maximum were investigated for antiplasmodial activity against chloroquine sensitive Plasmodium berghei infections in mice and for analgesic activity against chemical and heat-induced pains. The antiplasmodial activity during early and established infections as well as prophylactic were investigated. Artesunate at 5 mg/kg and pyrimethamine at 1.2 mg/kg were used as positive controls. Analgesic activity of the crude extract/fractions was also evaluated against acetic acid, formalin and heat-induced pains.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The extract and its fractions dose-dependently reduced parasitaemia induced by chloroquine sensitive Plasmodium berghei infection in prophylactic, suppressive and curative models in mice. These reductions were statistically significant (P<0.001). They also improved the mean survival time from 13 to 28 days compared with control (P<0.001). The activities of extract/fractions were incomparable to that of the standard drugs (Artesunate and pyrimethamine). On chemically and thermally-induced pains, the extract inhibited acetic acid and formalin-induced inflammation as well as hot plate-induced pain in mice. These inhibitions were statistically significant (P<0.001) and in a dose-dependent fashion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Panicum maximum leaf extract has antiplasmodial and analgesic activities which may in part be mediated through the chemical constituents of the plant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Uyo, Uyo, Nigeria. judeefiom@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Jude E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Okokon
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Nwafor
authors.forename: Ukeme E
authors.initials: UE
authors.lastname: Andrew
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol; D005260:Female; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008897:Panicum; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000962:Antimalarials; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000431:Ethanol