Abstract

PHARMACOGNOSTIC SCREENING AND ANTIMALARIAL PROPERTY OF ETHANOL LEAF FRACTIONS OF BYRSOCARPUS COCCINEUS SCHUMACH. & THONN. (CONNARACEAE) ON PLASMODIUM BERGHEI INFECTED MICE

Ikenna Chikeokwu, Mba Theodora Chidinma*, Ezeh Chidinma M., Uchenna Estella O. and Chukwuma Micheal Onyebulam

ABSTRACT

Background: Malaria is an infectious disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium that can be transmitted through a bite of an Anopheles mosquito, contaminated needles, and contaminated blood transfusion. The most serious and sometimes fatal type of malaria is caused by plasmodium falciparum. Other human malarial spices are P. vivax, P. falciparum, P. malariae, and P. ovale. Malaria remains a disease of global challenge with 3.3 billion people in 97 countries at risk, leading to an estimated 200 million cases and around 600,000 deaths yearly. Aim: This study is aimed at determining the pharmacognostic profile of Byrsocarpus coccineus leaves and to evaluate the antimalarial activity of the ethanol leaf fractions. Methods: The leaves Byrsocarpus coccineus was collected, identified, dried, prepared for extraction. Extraction was done using cold maceration method with ethanol solvent after which it was fractionated. Pharmacognostic parameter which includes Ash values and Extractive values was conducted using the methods of (Evans, 2005; Kokate, 1997; Mukherjee, 2002) with slight modifications. Acute Toxicity and LD50 of the ethanolic leaf extract was evaluated using modified Lorke’s method. Experimental study was carried out to evaluate the antimalarial properties of the ethanol leaf fractions of Byrsocarpus coccineus using a negative control, positive control (Artemether) and 200mg and 400mg doses of each of the fractions in chloroquine-sensitive strain of Plasmodium berghei (ANKA) infected mice. Results: Acute toxicity and LD50, had no mortality in all groups both in Phase 1&2 after 48hours monitoring. The result of the studies showed that the ethanol leaf fractions of Byrsocarpus coccineus had a significant suppression in Parasitaemia count, prevented thrombocytopaenia and reduced weight loss. Conclusion: Malaria induction in the mice led to loss of appetite, increased Parasitaemia and high hematological aberrations which resulted in weight loss, anemia and leukocytosis observed in all the treated groups with worst case being reported in the negative control group. In this study, it was established that the ethanol leaf fractions of Byrsocarpus coccineus had significant antimalaria activity against P. bergei in infected mice due to the observed Parasite suppression. Hence this justifies the folkloric use of Byrsocarpus coccineus in the management of malaria.

Keywords: Byrsocarpus coccineus, Malaria, Ethanolic, Plasmodium berghei, Artemeter.