Antiplasmodial Activities of Some Locally Prepared Herbs Against Plasmodium falciparum Obtained from Asymptomatic School Children in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abstract

The efficacy of current or any intended antimalarial can only be resolute by cultivation and susceptibility studies. The aim of this research was to cultivate Plasmodium falciparum in vitro and comparing the antiplasmodial effects of standard antimalarial medications including herbaceous preparation. Asymptomatic pupils attending some schools in Zaria, Kaduna state, Nigeria were recruited into this research and blood samples were collected from them. Microscopy was done after thin and thick blood films were prepared and stained. The antiplasmodial activities of antimalarial drugs as well as herbal preparation were determined after the successful culturing of red blood cells in the Jatropha curcas medium.The phytochemical constituents of the herbs that made up the concoction were determined. The incidence of asymptomatic Plasmodium infection amongst school kids was 17.5%. There was no statistical association of location, gender and age with the obtained prevalence. Presence of alkaloids was observed in every plant screened while the same was also observed for tannins except in Enantia chloranta.Steroids and phlobatanins were observed in Citrus aurantifolia while there was presence of saponins in all the plant extracts except Cymbopogbon citratus. All the plants except Enantia chloranta contained flavonoids. There was presence of terpenoids in all screened plants except Azadirachta indica and Cymbopogbon citratus while cardiac glycosides were found in every plant except Magnifera indica and Enantia chloranta. Results obtained from the in vitro cultivation of the Plasmodium falciparum with Athemether/lumefanthrine, amodiaquine and herbal concoction showed average percentage parasite inhibition of 80%, 37.8% and 38.6% respectively. This implies that Arthemether/lumefanthrine was capable of inhibiting the growth of the parasite best. The herbal concoction also inhibited growth (38.6% inhibition). There is need for additional investigation on a wider variety of plants to explore their antiplasmodial activities since there is evidence that it works, and it is quite available and affordable.