Evaluation of three medicinal plant extracts against Plasmodium falciparum and selected microganisms.
BACKGROUND
A great revival of scientific interests in drug discovery has been witnessed in recent years from medicinal plants for health maintenance. The aim of this work was to investigate three Nigerian medicinal plants collected in Nigeria for their in vitro antiplasmodial and antimicrobial activities.


METHODS
Extracts obtained from parts of Persea americana, Jatropha podagrica and Picralima nitida and their fractions were evaluated for in vitro antiprotozoal and antimicrobial activity.


RESULTS
The methanol extract of P. nitida demonstrated activity against chloroquine-sensitive and chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum clones with IC50 values of 6.3 and 6.0 µg/mL, respectively. Methanol and chloroform extracts of P. americana seed showed antifungal activity against Cryptococcus neoformans IC50 less than 8 and 8.211 µg/mL respectively. Finally, the petroleum ether extract of P. americana had activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with an IC50 value of 8.7 µg/mL.


CONCLUSIONS
The study revealed the antibacterial and antiplasmodial activities of the plants extracts at the tested concentrations.
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria ; Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, University, University of Mississippi, MS 38655, USA.
Abiodun
A
Falodun
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria ; Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Restock, 18509, Restock, Germany.
Vincent
V
Imieje
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria ; Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Restock, 18509, Restock, Germany.
Osayewenre
O
Erharuyi
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.
Joy
J
Ahomafor
Center for for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, MS, 38677, USA.
Melissa R
MR
Jacob
Center for for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, MS, 38677, USA.
Shabana I
SI
Khan
Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, University, University of Mississippi, MS 38655, USA.
Mark T
MT
Hamann
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029062:Apocynaceae; D003454:Cryptococcus / Q000187:drug effects; D031286:Jatropha; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D027421:Persea; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts
Antibacterial; Antifungal; Jatropha podagrica; Persea americana; Picralima nitida; Plasmodium falciparum