Abstract
The study evaluates the in vivo antiplasmodial activity of ethanol leaf extract and fractions of Jatropha gossypifolia in Plasmodium berghei infected mice. Phytochemical, physicochemical analyses, median lethal dose (LD50), effects on biochemical parameter were evaluated and the schizonticidal effects during early and established infections were investigated. The extract (50-200 mg/kg) was screened for antimalarial prophylactic and curative activities against 50 (20-30 g) P. berghei infected mice using standard method. The prophylactic and curative activity tests were repeated for the fractions of the extract. The phytochemical analysis done on J. gossypifolia leaves showed presence of tannins, saponins, phlobatannins, alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids and cardiac glycosides. It contained total ash (6.3%); acid insoluble ash value (3.8%), water soluble ash value (2.5%), ethanol extractive value (4.5%) and moisture content (7%). LD50 was 4472.14 mg/kg. There was significant increase in alanine transaminase (ALT), alanine phosphatase (ALP) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) at 500 mg/kg on the 28th day, indicating liver injury at high dose and prolonged administration. The crude extract of J. gossypifolia (50-200 mg/kg) exhibited moderate prophylactic and significant (P < 0.05) curative activities in both day 4 and 7 tests with a mean survival time comparable to the standard drug, quinine 100 mg/kg. The fractions of the leaf extract of J. gossypifolia exhibited moderate to good prophylactic and curative activities, with ethyl acetate fraction eliciting the best activity in both test models. The leaf extract and fractions of J. gossypifolia administration are safe and possess good antiplasmodial activity, which confirmed its folkloric antimalarial medicinal use. Key words: Malaria, antimalarial, Plasmodium berghei, Jatropha gossypifolia, toxicity, biochemical parameters.  
Highlights
Malaria is a mosquito borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by parasitic protozoan belonging to the genus Plasmodium
The aim of this study is to evaluate the antimalarial activity of J. gossypifolia leaf extracts and fractions in mice infected with Plasmodium berghei using prophylactic and curative models, and evaluate their toxicity profile
Traditional medicinal plants have proved to be rich sources of new drugs coupled with the fact that antimalarial drugs in use presently were either obtained
Summary
Malaria is a mosquito borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by parasitic protozoan belonging to the genus Plasmodium. The disease is transmitted by the biting of an infected female Anopheles mosquito, and the symptoms usually begin ten to fifteen days after being bitten. The microscopic examination of blood using blood films, or with antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests. Methods that use the polymerase chain reaction to detect the parasite's DNA have been developed, but are not widely used in areas where malaria is common due to their cost and complexity (Caraballo, 2014; Nadjm and Behrens 2012)
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