In Vivo Anti-Malarial Activity of the Aqueous Root Extract of Euclea divinorum Hiern (Ebenaceae) against Plasmodium berghei ANKA

Abstract

Background. Drug resistance is a universal challenge to malaria control measures. As a result, the development and discovery of new chemotherapeutic agents from medicinal plants having anti-malarial traditional claims are very important. This work, therefore, attempted to evaluate the anti-malarial activity of the aqueous root extract of E. divinorum using a rodent model of malaria. Methods. The roots of E. divinorum were extracted by hot decoction using distilled water. Anti-malarial activity of various doses (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 600 mg/kg) of the root aqueous extract was evaluated using the 4-day suppressive test as well as curative and repository tests. Parasitemia, rectal temperature, body weight, PCV, and MST were also determined. Results. The finding showed that there were a dose-related significant parasitemia chemo-suppression and increment in survival time as compared to the negative control ( p < 0.001 ) in all tests. The chemo-suppression effect was higher at 400 mg/kg extract-treated groups in the 4-day suppressive test followed by the curative test. The lowest chemo-prophylaxis effect was observed in 100 mg/kg extract-treated groups in the repository test. Regarding the other parameters, the extract prevented weight loss, temperature drop, and hemolysis in all models but not in a consistent manner. Conclusion. The current study showed that the aqueous root extract of E. divinorum possessed a varying degree of anti-malarial activity in all three tests, with greater parasitemia suppression observed in the 4-day suppressive test. The extract produced higher parasitemia chemo-suppression and longer survival time in early infections followed by established and then residual infection.

Evaluation of the Anti-Malarial Activity of the Crude Root Extract and Solvent Fraction of Sesamum indicum (Fabaceae)

“…This might be due to the presence of secondary bioactive metabolites like alkaloids, polyphenols, flavonoids, glycosides, steroids, tannins and terpenoids that had the potential to stabilize these parameters. 43 , 44 In addition, parasite suppression also probably controls pathological process, immune system and metabolic process, which later prevent abnormal weight, temperature and PCV changes. The extracts prevented RBC from oxidative stress mediated damage due to the presence of antioxidant polyphenols, tannins, and flavonoids.…”

Ethnobotanical uses, phytochemistry and biological activity of the genus Euclea: A review

“…The leaves of E. natalensis also showed antiplasmodial activity with an IC 50 of 25.6 μg/mL (Tajuddeen et al, 2022). The in vivo antimalarial assay of the aqueous root extract of E. divinorum possessed significant parasitemia suppression (Girmaw and Engidawork, 2022).…”

“…The in vivo antimalarial assay of the aqueous root extract of E . divinorum possessed significant parasitemia suppression ( Girmaw and Engidawork, 2022 ).…”