Background. Epilepsy is one of the most common serious neurological disorders, responsible for substantial morbidity and mortality due to limited efficacy and negative properties of antiepileptic drugs. Medicinal plants are believed to be an important source of new chemical substances with potential therapeutic effects. Pentas schimperiana (A. Rich.) Vatke is a medicinal plant used in Ethiopian traditional medicine for the treatment of epilepsy. However, it lacks scientific investigation on its anticonvulsant activity. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the anticonvulsant activity of 80% methanol root bark extract and solvent fractions of Pentas schimperiana (A. Rich.) Vatke in mice. Methods. Anticonvulsant activity was evaluated by using the pentylenetetrazole and maximal electroshock-induced seizure test. The 80% methanolic root bark extract was subjected to successive fractionation with solvents differing polarity, i.e., chloroform, butanol, and water. The test groups received 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg bodyweight of extract and its solvent fractions. Result. The ME400 and BF400 at the higher dose exhibited a significant ( p < 0.001 ) anticonvulsant effect in both the pentylenetetrazole and maximal electroshock-induced seizure test compared with control. However, chloroform fraction only showed a significant ( p < 0.001 ) anticonvulsant effect in the PTZ-induced seizure test, while aqueous fraction had least anticonvulsant activity in both seizure-induced tests. Phytochemical screening of Pentas schimperiana (A. Rich.) Vatke root bark extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, phenols, steroids, terpenoids, and tannins. Conclusion. This study indicated that the plant has anticonvulsant activity and is considered as a potential source to develop a new antiepileptic drug.

Background: Since drug resistance makes controlling malaria parasites a major challenge, these pioneering researchers explore and discover new novel drugs from a variety of sources. As a result, this study aimed to assess the anti-plasmodial activity of hydroalcoholic crude extract and solvent fractions of Zehneria scabra roots in mice infected with Plasmodium berghei. Methods: The antimalarial activity and safety profile of Zehneria scabra extracts were tested in a mouse model using four-day suppressive, prophylactic, and rane's tests against chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium berghei. Mice were divided into five groups at random: group I received distilled water (10 mL/kg), group II, III, and IV received 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg of the extract, respectively, and group V received chloroquine (25 mg/kg). The antimalarial activity of the extract was determined using parasitemia levels, survival time, rectal temperature, and weight variation. Results: At all dose levels, the crude extract and solvent fractions of Zehneria scabra showed significant (p<0.05 to p<0.001) chemosuppression, with the crude extract and butanol fraction showing the highest chemosuppression (73.09% and 74.09%, respectively). Apart from suppressing parasitemia, the extract also increased survival time and secured packed cell volume reduction substantially (p<0.05 to p<0.001), while the crude extract had no significant impact on body weight or rectal temperature reduction in four-day suppressive and prophylactic models. Conclusion:The result designated that Zehneria scabra is endowed with significant antimalarial activity. These results thus support the traditional use of Zehneria scabra, for the treatment of malaria.

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The artemisinin partial resistance is believed to be spread to artemisinin-based combination therapy partner drugs. As a result, new antiplasmodial compounds are required to treat resistant malaria infections. In the invention of antimalarial substances, claimed medical plants are precious resources. So, the current study was designed to assess the antiplasmodial effects of Maesa lanceolata in mice. In this study, preliminary phytoconstituent and in vivo acute oral toxicity tests were done. Early infection, established infection, and residual infection tests were employed to determine the antimalarial effects of the test drugs. Three doses (200, 400, and 600 mg/kg) of the extracts were provided orally to the test mice. Analysis of variance (one-way) followed by post hoc Tukey’s test was used to analyze the difference between and within groups. Terpenoids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids, and alkaloids were detected in the phytochemical constituent analysis. Both 80% methanolic crude extract and solvent fractions had no toxic result at the 2000 mg/kg dose. All test drug doses suppressed parasite levels in a significant manner at all tests. The activity of chloroform fraction (maximum percentage suppression, 81.28%) overwhelms the crude extract activity. The curative effects of 80% methanolic crude extract, with a maximum of 80.22% parasitemia suppression, were greater than its suppressive and prophylactic effects. The 400 mg/kg dose of chloroform fraction resulted in a maximum survival period (18 days) than other doses of tested materials. The results of this investigation provide support for the activity of M. lanceolata leaf extract against malaria.

Background Wounds continue to be a difficult clinical problem, with early and late consequences causing significant morbidity and death. As a result, proper wound management is critical. In addition to contemporary medicine, medicinal herbs serve an essential role in the treatment of wounds and bacterial infections. Z. scabra is a medicinal plant that has traditionally been used to treat wounds. However, there are no scientific reports on solvent fraction wound healing activities. As a result, the current study presents a scientific assessment of the wound healing ability of the solvent fractions of Z. scabra leaves. Methods The leaves were crushed and macerated three times in 80% methanol. Chloroform, ethyl acetate, and aqueous fractions of simple ointment at 5% w/w and 10 percent w/w strengths were prepared using the fusion technique based on the British Pharmacopoeia. Excision and incision wound models were used to assess the solvent fractions’ wound healing activities. The anti-inflammatory efficacy of crude and solvent fractions was tested in mice utilizing a carrageenan-induced hindpaw edema model. Results In rats, a test dose of 2000 mg/kg of the 10% w/w crude extract ointment was found to be safe. Groups treated with the 5% and 10% ethyl acetate fractions of the extract experienced significant (p<0.05 and p<0.01) wound reduction in the excision wound model. When compared to the negative control, the length of epithelization in groups treated with 10% ethyl acetate fraction and aqueous fractions of Z. scabra was statistically significant (p 0.001). By lowering the amount of carrageenan-induced paw edema, the leaf extract and the chloroform fraction of Z. scabra demonstrated a dose-dependent anti-inflammatory effect. Conclusion The extract showed remarkable wound healing and anti-inflammatory activity and might be recommended for the treatment of many types of human wounds.