Exploring the Potential of Crude Methanolic Leaf Extract of Gossypium Hirsutum in Malaria Treatment, Pain Relief, and Inflammation Reduction

Abstract

The increasing resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to standard anti-malarial drugs has led to a search for new compounds with antimalarial properties. Throughout history, various plants have been used for the treatment of malaria. Gossypium hirsutum, a plant commonly used in Ondo state for malaria treatment, was the focus of this study. The crude extracts of Gossypium hirsutum were evaluated for their anti-plasmodial, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory properties. To assess the anti-plasmodial effect, Plasmodium berghei was inoculated into 12 mice divided into four groups, with three mice in each group. Groups 1 and 2 were treated with doses of 200mg/kg.bw and 400mg/kg.bw of the crude plant extract, respectively. Group 3 received 5mg/kg.bw of chloroquine phosphate, while group 4 received normal saline. The analgesic effects were evaluated using the Eddy's hot plate method and the Tail flick method in mice. The anti- inflammatory effect was assessed using egg albumin-induced paw edema in rats. The crude methanolic extracts of Gossypium hirsutum demonstrated activity against Plasmodium parasites and a significant anti-inflammatory effect, suppressing paw edema by 49.7%. Animals administered with the extracts showed increased resptime to thermal pain induction in both the hot plate and tail flick methods, similar to the effect oonse bserved with the standard drug. The crude plant extract reduced parasitemia in mice by 79.2%, accompanied by a slight but statistically insignificant decrease in packed cell volume (PCV) and the weight of treated animals. Overall, the crude extract of Gossypium hirsutum exhibited effectiveness in managing malaria, along with a moderate analgesic and anti-inflammatory potential. These findings suggest that the plant contains active compounds with promising antimalarial effects, which could be further isolated and studied.