title: In vitro anti-plasmodial activity of some traditionally used medicinal plants against Plasmodium falciparum.
abstract: The anti-plasmodial activity of different solvent extracts of Adhatoda vasica (root), Caesalpinia pulcherrima (leaf), Carica papaya (pulp), Erythroxylum monogynum (leaf), Lantana camara (whole plant), Ocimum sanctum (root) and Phyllanthus niruri (whole plant) were studied against Plasmodium falciparum. Of the 35 extracts tested, seven extracts showed good anti-plasmodial activity. Methanol extract of C. pulcherrima showed the lowest IC50 value (10.96 μg/mL) followed by methanol extract of A. vasica (IC(50)=11.1 μg/mL), chloroform extract of O. sanctum (IC(50)=11.47 μg/mL), methanol extract of E. monogynum (IC(50)=12.23 μg/mL), acetone extract of C. pulcherrima (IC(50)=12.49 μg/mL), methanol extract of O. sanctum and acetone extract of A. vasica (IC(50)=14.04 μg/mL). The results of the present study justify the use of these medicinal plants in traditional practice, and also, a further study on the isolation of anti-plasmodial molecules from their active crude extracts is in progress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar 608 002 Tamil Nadu, India. venkatesalu@yahoo.com
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Venkatesalu
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gopalan
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Pillai
authors.forename: Vineeta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chandrasekaran
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Senthilkumar
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chandramouli
mesh_terms: D000962:Antimalarials / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D021261:Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D010936:Plant Extracts