title: Phytochemical screening and in vivo antimalarial activity of extracts from three medicinal plants used in malaria treatment in Nigeria.
abstract: The use of plant to meet health-care needs has greatly increased worldwide in the recent times. The search for new plant-derived bioactive agents that can be explored for the treatment of drug-resistant malaria infection is urgently needed. Thus, we evaluated the antimalarial activity of three medicinal plants used in Nigerian folklore for the treatment of malaria infection. A modified Peter's 4-day suppressive test was used to evaluate the antimalarial activity of the plant extracts in a mouse model of chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium berghei ANKA strain. Animals were treated with 250, 500, or 800 mg/kg of aqueous extract. It was observed that of all the three plants studied, Markhamia tomentosa showed the highest chemosuppression of parasites of 73 % followed by Polyalthia longifolia (53 %) at day 4. All the doses tested were well tolerated. Percentage suppression of parasite growth on day 4 post-infection ranged from 1 to 73 % in mice infected with P. berghei and treated with extracts when compared with chloroquine diphosphate, the standard reference drug which had a chemosuppression of 90 %. The percentage survival of mice that received extract ranged from 0 to 60 % (increased as the dose increases to 800 mg/kg). Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of tannins, saponins, and phenolic compounds in all the three plants tested.
authors.affiliation: Bankole A. E., Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Lagos, P. M. B. 1029 Unilag Post office Akoka-Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. gbolabim@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Bankole
authors.affiliation: Bankole A. E., Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Lagos, P. M. B. 1029 Unilag Post office Akoka-Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Adekunle
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Sowemimo
authors.affiliation: Bankole A. E., Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Lagos, P. M. B. 1029 Unilag Post office Akoka-Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Umebese
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutic, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Abiodun
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutic, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: G O
authors.initials: GO
authors.lastname: Gbotosho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D029402:Bignoniaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D029582:Meliaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D009549:Nigeria; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000188:drug therapy; D008517:Phytotherapy; D024301:Plant Bark / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000187:drug effects*; D031044:Polyalthia / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D010936:Plant Extracts; C023676:chloroquine diphosphate; D002738:Chloroquine
keywords: Markhamia tomentosa; Plasmodium berghei; Polyalthia longifolia; Trichilia heudelotii