A Review on Antimalarial Activities of Aloe species Extracts

Abstract

Among the most prevalent diseases caused by protozoan parasites, the parasites of the genus Plasmodium cause malaria. Malaria is transmitted to humans by the infected female anopheles mosquito. Malaria is a vector-borne disease and it continues to have devastating effects on people’s lives, especially in developing countries. To control malaria, many popular practices exist to avoid the nuisance of mosquito bites such as fumigation, burning green leaves on the hut’s threshold, mosquito coils, insecticide sprays, and repellents. Due to the vast metabolic diversity of plants, natural products may offer relatively cheaper and an easy alternative treatment opportunity to treat malaria. The genus Aloe is one of the top medicinal plants that has maintained its popularity over the course of time. Aloe in one form or another is a common domestic medicine and is the basis of most pharmaceutical preparations. Various components present in the Aloe species have been found effective against many diseases, including malaria. Although most of the antimalarial activities were based on in vivo tests, in vitrotests were also analyzed by certain researchers. The leaf latex in all Aloespecies and the isolated compounds displayed antimalarial activity in a dose-independent manner. Considering that natural molecules have acted as natural templates in the development of antimalarial agents, it is encouraged to investigate further analyses into Aloe constituents and their values against malaria. It should be followed with phytochemical and pharmacological analyses to give scientific ground to medicinal knowledge and future potential utilization.