Asian Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine

In-vivo evaluation of the anti-malarial activities of crude extract of Croton macrostachys and Buddleja polystachya against Plasmodium berghei in Southern Ethiopia

Sintayehu Fekadu, Belayhun Kibret, Solomon Asnake

Department of Microbiology, Shimane University Faculty of medicine, Japan

Abstract

Background: Malaria is one of the most important infectious diseases with over 80% of deaths in Africa. In Ethiopia, several traditional medicinal plants that are considered as active against malarial infection but their effectiveness hasn’t been systematically verified. This study aimed to investigate the in-vivo antimalarial activity of traditionally used medicinal plants, Croton macrostachys and Buddleja polystachya.

Methods: Leaf of plants collected and extracted using methanol and aqueous solution. In-vivo evaluation of antimalarial activity was carried in male albino mice after giving 200, 400 and 600mg/kg body weight of crude extracts. Antimalarial suppressive ability of the extracts on P. berghei parasitized erythrocytes was investigated by counting the number infected cells against the control.

Results: Percentage of parasite inhibition of methanol extracts of leaf of Croton macrostachys and Buddleja polystachya were 64 and 35% respectively at 600mg/kg of body weight. Though inhibition was statistically significant in almost all of extracts at dose of 200 and 400 mg/kg as compared to the negative control, maximum inhibition was seen at dose 600mg/kg (P< 0.05).

Conclusion: Leaves extracts of both plants have suppressive effect on parasite. We recommend further studies to strengthen the current evidence.

Keywords:

Croton macrostachys, Buddleja polystachya, Plasmodium berghei