Antimalarial Activity of Cordia africana (Lam.) (Boraginaceae) Leaf Extracts and Solvent Fractions in Plasmodium berghei-Infected Mice

Abstract

Background. Malaria remains a major worldwide public health problem leading to death of millions of people. Spread and emergence of antimalarial drug resistance are the major challenge in malaria control. Medicinal plants are the key source of new effective antimalarial agents. Cordia africana (Lam.) is widely used for traditional management of malaria by local people in different parts of Ethiopia. The present study aimed to evaluate in vivo antimalarial effects of leaf extracts and solvent fractions of Cordia africana on Plasmodium berghei-infected mice. Methods. The leaf extracts were prepared and tested for oral acute toxicity according to the OECD guideline. In vivo antimalarial effects of various doses of C. africana extracts and solvent fractions were determined using the four-day suppression test (both crude and fractions), as well as curative and chemoprophylactic tests (crude extracts). Results. The acute toxicity test of the plant extract revealed that the medium lethal dose is higher than 2000 mg/kg. The crude extract of the plant exhibited significant parasitemia suppression in the four-day suppression (51.19%), curative (57.14%), and prophylactic (46.48%) tests at 600 mg/kg. The n-butanol fraction exhibited the highest chemosuppression (55.62%) at 400 mg/kg, followed by the chloroform fraction (45.04%) at the same dose. Conclusion. Our findings indicated that both the crude leaf extracts and fractions of C. africana possess antimalarial effects, supporting the traditional claim of the plant.

Antimalarial Efficacy of Hydromethanolic Root Extract and Solvent Fractions of Urtica simensis Hochst. ex. A. Rich. (Urticaceae): An Experimental Study on Plasmodium berghei-Infected Mice

“…As a result, alkaloids, anthraquinones, phenol, tannins, and flavonoids found in this fraction may have attributed to the discovered antimalarial activity. Alkaloids [ 57 ], flavonoids [ 58 ], phenols [ 59 ], anthraquinones [ 60 ], and tannins [ 61 ] have all been implicated with antimalarial activity. This outcome is concordant with the efficacy of CF reported on CF of Brucea antidysenterica leaves [ 62 ], but higher with the low effect of CF reported on root of Silene macrosolen A.…”

Evaluation of Antidiarrheal Activity of 80% Methanolic Extract of the Leaves of Cordia africana (Lamiaceae) in Mice

“…Then, the concentrated aqueous solution filtrate was placed in a deep freezer overnight followed by drying with a lyophilizer set at −50°C to remove water. Finally, the percentage yield of the crude extract was calculated and kept in an airtight container at −20°C until used for the intended experiment [ 13 ].…”

“…is one of the most common forest tree species in the family. Locally, it is known as wanza and is commonly named as East African Cordia or large-leafed Cord17a or Sudan teak in English [ 13 ]. It is found in the moist evergreen highlands and riverine forests of the northwest and southwest highlands and is very common in western Ethiopia between 550 and 2600 m where the rainfall range is 700 to 2000 mm per year [ 14 ].…”

“…There are various experimental studies which show various parts of the plant are proved to have various activities including in vivo anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-nociceptive activities of ethanolic extracts of the plant [ 13 , 17 – 19 ], anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant activities of the leaf and stem bark extracts [ 20 ], and antidiarrheal activity of the root bark extract [ 15 ].…”

The Biological Activity of Alcoholic Extracts of Cordia myxa Plant Against Klebsiella. Isolated from Infected Patients

“…A botanical study conducted in northwestern Ethiopia reported that Cordia africana was traditionally used to treat liver disease, dysentery, stomach pain, and diarrhea (8) . The dried leaf powder is used to treat malaria and its associated symptoms by traditional healers (9) . Klebsiella species are routinely found in the human nose, mouth, and gastrointestinal tract as normal flora; however, they can also behave as opportunistic human pathogens , it can lead to a wide range of disease states, notably pneumonia, urinary tract infections, sepsis, meningitis, diarrhea, peritonitis and soft tissue infections it may be treated by leaves of Cordia leucocephala, popularly known as "Maria Brita", are used as an infusion to treat dysmenorrhea (10,14) .…”