title: In vivo antiplasmodial potentials of the combinations of four nigerian antimalarial plants.
abstract: Various combinations of Nauclea latifolia root, Artocarpus altilis stem bark, Murraya koenigii leaf and Enantia chlorantha stem bark used in African ethnomedicine as decoctions for malaria and fevers, and combinations with standard drugs, were investigated for antiplasmodial activities using Plasmodium berghei berghei-infected mice. The respective prophylactic and curative ED50 values of 189.4 and 174.5 mg/kg for N. latifolia and chemosuppressive ED50 value of 227.2 mg/kg for A. altilis showed that they were the best antimalarial herbal drugs. A 1.6-fold increase of the survival time given by the negative control was elicited by M. koenigii, thereby confirming its curative activity. Pyrimethamine with an ED50 of 0.5 ± 0.1 mg/kg for the prophylactic, and chloroquine with ED50 = 2.2 ± 0.1 and 2.2 ± 0.0 mg/kg for the chemosuppressive and curative tests, respectively, were significantly (p < 0.05) more active. Co-administrations of N. latifolia with the standard drugs significantly reduced their prophylactic, chemosuppressive and curative actions, possibly increasing the parasites' resistance. Binary combinations of N. latifolia or M. koenigii with any of the other plants significantly increased the prophylactic and suppressive activities of their individual plants, respectively. Also, E. chlorantha with A. altilis or N. latifolia enhanced their respective prophylactic or curative activities, making these combinations most beneficial against malaria infections. Combinations of three and four extracts gave varied activities. Hence, the results justified the combinations of ethnomedicinal plants in antimalarial herbal remedies and showed the importance of the three in vivo models in establishing antimalarial activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 220282, Osun State, Nigeria. caadebajo@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Adeleke Clement
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Adebajo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 220282, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Samuel Akintunde
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Odediran
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 220282, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Fatimah Abosede
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Aliyu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Uyo, Uyo 520003, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Paul Alozie
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Nwafor
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy and Herbal Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Uyo, Uyo 520003, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Ndifreke Thomas
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Nwoko
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy and Herbal Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Uyo, Uyo 520003, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Usenobong Samuel
authors.initials: US
authors.lastname: Umana
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D031622:Artocarpus / Q000737:chemistry; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005334:Fever / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D051379:Mice; D032101:Murraya / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D019666:Rubiaceae / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D004338:Drug Combinations; D010936:Plant Extracts