title: Antimalarial efficacy of Albizia lebbeck (Leguminosae) against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro & P. berghei in vivo.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Albizia lebbeck Benth. (Leguminosae) has long been used in Indian traditional medicine. The current study was designed to test antimalarial activity of ethanolic bark extract of A. lebbeck (EBEAL).
  
  
  METHODS
  EBEAL was prepared by soxhlet extraction and subjected to phytochemical analysis. The extract was evaluated for its in vitro antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine (CQ) sensitive (MRC2) and CQ resistant (RKL9) strains. Cytotoxicity (CC 50 ) of extract against HeLa cells was evaluated. Median lethal dose (LD 50 ) was determined to assess safety of EBEAL in BALB/c mice. Schizonticidal (100-1000 mg/kg) and preventive (100-750 mg/kg) activities of EBEAL were evaluated against P. berghei. Curative activity (100-750 mg/kg) of extract was also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Phytochemical screening revealed presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, terpenes and phytosterols. The extract exhibited IC 50 of 8.2 µg/ml (MRC2) and 5.1 µg/ml (RKL9). CC 50 of extract on HeLa cell line was calculated to be >1000 µg/ml. EBEAL showed selectivity indices (SI) of >121.9 and >196.07 against MRC2 and RKL9 strains of P. falciparum, respectively. LD 50 of EBEAL was observed to be >5 g/kg. Dose-dependent chemosuppression was observed with significant ( p<0.001) schizonticidal activity at 1000 mg/kg with ED 50 >100 mg/kg. Significant (P<0.001) curative and repository activities were exhibited by 750 mg/kg concentration of extract on D7.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present investigation reports antiplasmodial efficacy of EBEAL in vitro against P. falciparum as evident by high SI values. ED 50 of <100 mg/kg against P. berghei categorizes EBEAL as active antimalarial. Further studies need to be done to exploit its antiplasmodial activity further.
authors.forename: Shagun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kalia
authors.forename: Neha Sylvia
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Upma
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bagai
mesh_terms: D031289:Albizzia / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D010936:Plant Extracts