BackgroundDiscovering new lead compounds against malaria parasites is a crucial step to ensuring a sustainable global pipeline for effective anti-malarial drugs. As far as we know, no previous phytochemical or pharmacological investigations have been carried out on Sorindeia juglandifolia. This paper describes the results of an anti-malarial activity-driven investigation of the fruits of this Cameroonian plant.MethodsAir-dried fruits were extracted by maceration using methanol. The extract was fractionated by flash chromatography followed by column chromatography over silica gel, eluting with gradients of hexane-ethyl acetate mixtures. Resulting fractions and compounds were tested in vitro against the Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine-resistant strain W2, against field isolates of P. falciparum, and against the P. falciparum recombinant cysteine protease falcipain-2. Promising fractions were assessed for acute toxicity after oral administration in mice. One of the promising isolated compounds was assessed in vivo against the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei.ResultsThe main end-products of the activity-guided fractionation were 2,3,6-trihydroxy benzoic acid (1) and 2,3,6-trihydroxy methyl benzoate (2). Overall, nine fractions tested against P. falciparum W2 and falcipain-2 were active, with IC50 values of 2.3-11.6 μg/ml for W2, and 1.1-21.9 μg/ml for falcipain-2. Purified compounds (1) and (2) also showed inhibitory effects against P. falciparum W2 (IC50s 16.5 μM and 13.0 μM) and falcipain-2 (IC50s 35.4 and 6.1 μM). In studies of P. falciparum isolates from Cameroon, the plant fractions demonstrated IC50 values of 0.14-19.4 μg/ml and compounds (1) and (2) values of 6.3 and 36.1 μM. In vivo assessment of compound (1) showed activity against P. berghei strain B, with mean parasitaemia suppressive dose and curative dose of 44.9 mg/kg and 42.2 mg/kg, respectively. Active fractions were found to be safe in mice after oral administration of 7 g/kg body weight.ConclusionsFractions of Sorindeia juglandifolia and two compounds isolated from these fractions were active against cultured malaria parasites, the P. falciparum protease falcipain-2, and in a rodent malaria model. These results suggest that further investigation of the anti-malarial activities of natural products from S. juglandifolia will be appropriate.

The present study aimed at investigating the in vitro and in vivo susceptibility of malaria parasites to crude extracts and fractions from Polyalthia suaveolens, Uvaria angolensis, and Monodora tenuifolia. The ethanolic extracts were partitioned using water, dichloromethane, hexane, and methanol. The most promising fraction was subjected to column chromatography. The antiplasmodial effect of extracts, fractions and subfractions against P. falciparum Chloroquine resistant (PfK1) strain was determined using SYBR green florescence assay. The promising fraction was assessed for cytotoxicity against Human Foreskin Fibroblast (HFF) cells and further for safety in Swiss albino mice and suppressive effect against P. berghei. The methanol sub-fraction of P. suaveolens [PStw(Ace)] showed the highest potency with IC 50 of 3.24 µg/mL. Sub-fraction PS8 from PStw(Ace) was the most active with IC 50 of 4.42 µg/mL. Oral administration of PStw(Ace) at 5000 mg/kg b.w in mice showed no signs of toxicity. Also, it exerted the highest suppressive effect against P. berghei at 400 mg/kg b.w throughout the 4 days experiment. Overall, the results achieved supported the use of the three plants in the traditional treatment of malaria in Cameroon. More interestingly, the PStw(Ace) fraction might be of interest in future development of an antimalarial phytodrug.

Background. Terminalia mantaly is used in Cameroon traditional medicine to treat malaria and related symptoms. However, its antiplasmodial efficacy is still to be established. Objectives. The present study is aimed at evaluating the in vitro and in vivo antiplasmodial activity and the oral acute toxicity of the Terminalia mantaly extracts. Materials and Methods. Extracts were prepared from leaves and stem bark of T. mantaly, by maceration in distilled water, methanol, ethanol, dichloromethane (DCM), and hexane. All extracts were initially screened in vitro against the chloroquine-resistant strain W2 of P. falciparum to confirm its in vitro activity, and the most potent one was assessed in malaria mouse model at three concentrations (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg/bw). Biochemical, hematological, and histological parameters were also determined. Results. Overall, 7 extracts showed in vitro antiplasmodial activity with IC50 ranging from 0.809 μg/mL to 5.886 μg/mL. The aqueous extract from the stem bark of T. mantaly (Tmsbw) was the most potent (IC50=0.809 μg/mL) and was further assessed for acute toxicity and efficacy in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice. Tmsbw was safe in mice with a median lethal dose (LD50) higher than 2000 mg/kg of body weight. It also exerted a good antimalarial efficacy in vivo with ED50 of 69.50 mg/kg and had no significant effect on biochemical, hematological, and histological parameters. Conclusion. The results suggest that the stem bark extract of T. mantaly possesses antimalarial activity.

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