Plasmodium falciparum malaria remains a significant cause of human suffering, and most malaria-related morbidity and mortality occurs in children living in sub-Sahara Africa. Evolutionary pressure has explained that various erythrocyte polymorphisms could protect against severe complications and death from Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the protection of hemoglobin AS and SS from severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Sickle trait; the heterozygous and homozygous state of normal hemoglobin A (HbA) could confer protection against malaria in Africa. In the present study, we cultured Plasmodium falciparum infected red blood cells from AA, AS and SS for six days. During the six days period, the level of parasite load (Parasitemia) and the activity of arginase released by the parasite were monitored on daily basis. Result obtained shows a significant (P<0.05) increase in both the level of parasite load and the activity of arginase. This increase was found to be higher in AA genotype while lower in both SS and AS, but with AS been much lower. The mechanisms by which sickle trait confer such malaria protection might be as a result of change in structural conformation that alter with the parasite ability to invade into the cells through the membrane protein receptors and hence a decrease in its activity in both AS and SS respectively.

Plasmodium falciparum malaria remains a significant cause of human suffering, and most malaria-related morbidity and mortality occurs in children living in sub-Sahara Africa. Evolutionary pressure has explained that various erythrocyte polymorphisms could protect against severe complications and death from Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the protection of hemoglobin AS and SS from severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Sickle trait; the heterozygous and homozygous state of normal hemoglobin A (HbA) could confer protection against malaria in Africa. In the present study, we cultured Plasmodium falciparum infected red blood cells from AA, AS and SS for six days. During the six days period, the level of parasite load (Parasitemia) and the activity of arginase released by the parasite were monitored on daily basis. Result obtained shows a significant (P<0.05) increase in both the level of parasite load and the activity of arginase. This increase was found to be higher in AA genotype while lower in both SS and AS, but with AS been much lower. The mechanisms by which sickle trait confer such malaria protection might be as a result of change in structural conformation that alter with the parasite ability to invade into the cells through the membrane protein receptors and hence a decrease in its activity in both AS and SS respectively.

A research was conducted to investigate the haematological effects of ethanolic leaf extracts of Senna occidentalis on Swiss albino mice infected with 0.2 ml of Plasmodium berghei infected blood. Fifteen (15) mice weighing between 140-260g were assigned into five study groups of three mice each. The first group is treated with 0.2 mL of normal saline (drug free control). Group 2, 3, 4 were treated with 100, 200, and 400mg/kg of theethanolic leaf extract respectively while group 5 received 10mg/kg of chloroquine phosphate. All doses were administered orally. The results obtained were analyzed using Analysis of Variance with Duncan’s Multiple Range Test to separate the means. The result of the preliminary phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, cardiac glycosides, diterpenoids, flavonoids, steroids, tannins, Triterpenoids, carbohydrates and proteins. The level of parasite suppression ranges from 35% to 75% and the activity increased with increase in concentration of the extracts (dose dependent). The extracts were found to increase the level of some haematological parameters such as Red Blood Cells, White Blood Cells and Haemoglobin. The effect is concentration dependent, increases with increase in concentration. Thus, the anti plasmodial efficacy of the leaf extract of S. occidentalis on P. berghei is confirmed. It is recommended that , 400 mg/kg leaf ethanolic extracts of S. occidentalis couldbe use in the treatment of malarial fever.