<em>In vivo</em> antimalarial activity of the ethanolic leaf extract of <em>Hyptis suaveolens</em> poit on <em>Plasmodium berghei</em> in Mice

Abstract

The ethanolic leaf extract of Hyptis suaveolens was evaluated for antimalarial activity against Plasmodium berghei in infected mice. In the 4 day suppressive test, 60 male and female albino mice (weight: 18-23 g) were infected and treatment began immediately (Day 0), while administration started 72 hours post infection in the curative test. For each test, mice were divided into 5 groups of 12 animals; each group was administered one of the following: 10 mg/kg, 25 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg of the crude extract, 5 mg/kg of chloroquine phosphate or 0.2 ml normal saline for four consecutive days. Thin blood smears were prepared and examined microscopically under x 100 objective on day 4 to day 7 and the percentage parasitaemia were recorded. On day 7 the red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), haemoglobin (Hb) and packed cell volume (PCV) were evaluated. The extract demonstrated dose-dependent inhibition effect on the parasites with 42.76% and 18.03% at 50 mg/kg, 33.69% and 10.22% at 25 mg/kg for suppressive and curative tests respectively, while at 10 mg/kg, 22.39% and 6.06% suppression were recorded in the suppressive and curative tests respectively. The RBC, HB and PCV values decreased while there was an increase in WBC compared with that of the control. Keywords : Hyptis suaveolens , Malaria, Screening, Rodents