In vivo anti-plasmodial activities and toxic impacts of lime extract of a combination of Picralima nitida , Alstonia boonei and Gongronema latifolium in mice infected with Chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium berghei

• Published in: African health sciences Vol. 15; no. 4; pp. 1262 - 1270
• Main Authors: Idowu, Emmanuel T, Ajaegbu, Henry C.N, Omotayo, Ahmed I, Aina, Oluwagbemiga O, Otubanjo, Olubunmi A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Uganda Makerere University Medical School 01-12-2015; Makerere Medical School
• Subjects: Alstonia - chemistry; Alstonia boonei; Animals; Antimalarials; Antimalarials - chemistry; Antimalarials - isolation & purification; Antimalarials - pharmacology; Apocynaceae - chemistry; Calcium Compounds; Chloroquine; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Combinations; Gongronema latifolium; Hematology; Herbal medicine; In vivo anti-plasmodial lime extract; Kidney - drug effects; Liver - drug effects; Malaria; Malaria - drug therapy; Malaria - parasitology; Medical treatment; Medicinal plants; Meliaceae - chemistry; Mice; mice infected with chloroquine-sensitive plasmodium berghei; Nigeria; Oxides; Parasitology; Phytotherapy; Picralima nitida; Plant Bark - chemistry; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - isolation & purification; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Extracts - toxicity; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Plants, Medicinal; Plasmodium berghei - drug effects; Research methodology; Rodents; Seeds - chemistry; Statistical analysis; Toxicity Tests; Nigeria; Picralima nitida; In vivo anti-plasmodial lime extract; Alstonia boonei; Gongronema latifolium; mice infected with chloroquine-sensitive plasmodium berghei
• ISSN: 1680-6905; 1729-0503; 1680-6905
• DOI: 10.4314/ahs.v15i4.27

Background: Lime extracts of powdered combination of seeds of Picralima
nitida , stem bark of Alstonia boonei and leaves of Gongronema
latifolium is a common remedy used in the treatment of malaria in
South Western Nigeria. Objective: To determine the antiplasmodial
activities of the combined herbal extracts and its impact on the
haematological, hepatological and renological parameters in mice.
Methods: The 4-day suppressive and curative tests were used to assess
the antiplasmodial activities of the extract in mice infected with
chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium berghei at concentration of 200mg/kg,
400mg/kg and 800mg/kg body weight. The haematological parameters
including red blood cells, white blood cells, packed cell volume and
haemoglobin count were analysed with an auto analyser. The activities
of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and
alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were determined, while urea, protein and
creatinine were analysed by standard procedural methods. Results: The
4-day suppressive test revealed that the test extract achieved
percentage suppression of 39.0%, 41.6% and 54.68% for the 200mg/kg,
400mg/kg and 800mg/kg concentration respectively. Additionally, the
curative test achieved a high percentage suppression of 80.97%, 83.84%
and 86.16% at the 200mg/kg, 400mg/kg and 800mg/kg concentration
respectively. The extracts did not induce significant change on
haematological parameters (P>0.05), while significant elevation in
the values of the ALT and AST (P<0.05) was observed and elevation of
creatinine (P<0.05) at 800mg/kg. Conclusions: The results support
the traditional use of the herbal combination in the treatment of
malaria, however the liver cells were impacted by the extracts in
bioassay conducted with mice.