Medicinal Chemistry

Evaluation of In Vivo Antiplasmodial and Toxicological Effect of Calpurnia aurea, Aloe debrana, Vernonia amygdalina and Croton macrostachyus Extracts in Mice

Abstract

Rekik Ashebir Muluye1, Asfaw Meressa Berihun1*, Abey Abebe Gelagle1, Worku Gemechu Lemmi1, Frehiwot Teka Assamo1, Hirut Basha Gemeda1 , Netsanet Fekadu2, Sileshi Degu Getnet1, Samuel woldekidan Hirpasa1, Kidus tesfaye Ayele1, Tigist Abera Seyoum1, Samuel Tessema Tiko1 , Samson Taye Yirga1 and Ashenif Tadele Ayel

Malaria is still a major public health problem in the world causing high morbidity and mortality in sub-saharan Africa mainly on less than five years of age. Thus, there is still a need to search for new and more effective antimalarial drugs against drug-resistant Plasmodium strains. Natural products have been the main source for the search of new antimalarial drugs. This study evaluates the antiplasmodial activity of some selected medicinal plant traditionally used for the treatment of malaria in Ethiopia. The aqueous and methanol crude extracts were prepared by cold maceration technique. The acute toxicity of the extracts was conducted on mice according to OECD guide line. The antiplasmodial activity of each plant extract was assessed by the classical 4day Suppressive test and The body weights and survival time was also recorded throughout the follow-up period. The result of 4-day suppressive test revealed that the methanol and aqueous extracts of Croton macrostachyus, Vernonia amygdalina, Calpurnia aurea, and, the leaf latex of A. debrana had antiplasmodial activity. All the extracts showed a significant (p<0.01) parastemia inhibition at a dose of 400 mg/kg compared to negative control group. The highest antiplasmodial activity was recorded from the leaf extracts of V. amygdalina (42.26%) at 400 mg/kg dose. All the mice treated with the tested plant extracts showed protection of the mice from body weight loss. The acute toxicity study showed there was no mortality recorded at a dose of 5000 mg/kg. The result of this study indicates that the plants have antimalarial activities. This confirms the traditional claims utilization of the plant for malaria treatment. It needs further activity guided isolation and characterization and antimalarial activity and toxicity studies.