Evaluation of the Anti-malarial Properties of the Combined Aqueous and Ethanolic Extract of Sarcocephalus latifolius (Smith Bruce) and Parquetina nigrescens (Afzel)
Isah Yinusa *
Department of Chemistry, Federal University Lokoja, Kogi State, Nigeria.
Hassan Kabiru Dahiru
Department of Chemistry, Federal University Lokoja, Kogi State, Nigeria.
Ahmad Kabiru Bashir
Department of Chemistry, Federal University Lokoja, Kogi State, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: This study aims to evaluate the antimalarial efficacy and safety of a combined aqueous and ethanolic extract of Sarcocephalus latifolius and Parquetina nigrescens, two medicinal plants traditionally used in African ethnomedicine for malaria treatment, in view of increasing resistance to conventional antimalarial drugs.
Study Design: An experimental, in vivo study involving Plasmodium berghei-infected albino mice was conducted to assess the dose-dependent antimalarial activity and safety profile of the combined plant extract compared to a standard antimalarial drug.
Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in a laboratory setting equipped for phytochemical, toxicity, and parasitological analyses. The duration encompassed the time taken for extract preparation, toxicity testing, antimalarial evaluation, and histological analysis; specific dates were not provided.
Methodology: The Phytochemical screening reveals the presence of some bioactive compounds, among which are alkaloids, Saponins, steroids, tannins, and triterpenes. The acute toxicity of the extracts was examined in mice to determine the lethal dose (LD₅₀). Albino mice infected with Plasmodium berghei were divided into six groups: three receiving different doses of the extract (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg), a chloroquine-treated standard control, an infected untreated control, and a healthy control. Chemosuppressive activity was measured by the percentage of parasitemia suppression. FTIR spectroscopy was used to analyze the functional groups in the extract. Histological examination of liver tissues from treated and control mice was performed to assess pathological changes.
Results: Phytochemical analysis confirmed the presence of key antiplasmodial compounds. Acute toxicity testing showed an LD₅₀ of 3873 mg/kg, indicating relative safety. The extract exhibited dose-dependent Chemosuppressive effects with 68.8%, 79.5%, and 91.7% suppression at 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg doses, respectively; chloroquine achieved 100% suppression. FTIR spectroscopy revealed hydroxyl, carbonyl, amine, and aromatic functional groups supporting the phytochemical findings. Histological evaluations showed that liver tissues from extract-treated groups had reduced pathological damage compared to untreated infected controls.
Conclusion: The combined aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Sarcocephalus latifolius and Parquetina nigrescens demonstrated potent, dose-dependent antimalarial activity and a favorable safety profile in vivo, supporting their traditional use for malaria treatment. These findings suggest that the extract has potential as a source of new antimalarial agents. Further research should focus on isolating, purifying, and characterizing the active constituents and evaluating their clinical efficacy and safety in humans.
Keywords: Sarcocephalus latifolius, Parquetina nigrescens, antimalarial activity, phytochemicals, Plasmodium berghei, chemosuppression, medicinal plants