Antiplasmodial Properties, Toxicity and Novelty-Induced Behavior of a Formulation from Picralima nitida and Alstonia boonei

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed at investigating the antiplasmodial activities of the combination of Alstonia boonei De Wild (Apocynaceae) stem-bark and Picralima nitida (Stapf) T.H EJMP, 8(2): 112-120, 2015; Article no.EJMP.2015.096 113 safety of MS. Methodology: Swiss albino mice of both sexes, (18-22 g), were used for the antiplasmodial experiments with the freeze-dried extractive from the decoction of the 1:1 mixture of the two plants against chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium berghei NK65 strain. For the toxicity and noveltyinduced behavioral (NIB) studies, twenty four rats were divided into four groups (n=6 per group) for three dose (150, 300 and 600 mg/kg) levels of MS and the vehicle (distilled water). The NIB was observed on days 1 and 30 of administration of MS and the vehicle. The animals were sacrificed on day 30 and blood harvested for biochemical assays. Results: The results of the antiplasmodial investigation showed that 12.5 mg/kg extractive of the plant mixture gave antiplasmodial activity equivalent to 82% of the activity of chloroquine (5 mg/kg). The NIB results showed that acute oral administration of MS had no significant effects while the sub-chronic administration caused a significant (P<0.05) increase in rearing but decrease in grooming behaviours, dose-dependently. The biochemical parameters were not affected by the administration of MS at all doses used. Conclusion: The extractive of the plant mixture possessed antiplasmodial activity while the oral sub-chronic administration of MAMA Syrup had central excitatory effects but no significant toxicity