The objective of the present study was to investigate phytochemical components, antiplasmodial activity (in vivo) and evaluate the toxicity of two local medicinal plants, namely, Salvadora persica L. and Balanites rotundifolia (Van Tiegh.) used in Afar ethnomedicine for the treatment of malaria. In this study, phytochemical screening has been done using standard methods and the existence of antiplasmodial compounds was detected in these plant extracts. Four-day Peter’s test was used to determine parasite inhibition, PCV was determined by Wintrob’s method, and effects against loss of body weight and improvements on survival time were determined. LD50s of the crude extracts have been also done. Acute toxicity studies of the extracts were carried out in Swiss albino mice prior to antimalarial activity test. All extracts revealed no obvious acute toxicities on mice up to the highest (5000mg/kg) dose given. The crude extract was estimated to have oral median lethal dose higher than 5,000 mg/kg. With the 4-day suppressive test, both plant extracts demonstrated dose-dependent significant reduction in parasitemia level at all test doses compared to the negative control: in the extract of B. rotundifolia 500 mg/kg extract (60.59±3.25%), 350 mg/kg extract (48.1±1.4), and 200 mg/kg extract (41.33±1.1%) were found. And in case of S. Persica 500 mg/kg extract (50.6±4.01%), 350 mg/kg extract (35.85±0.89), and 200 mg/kg extract (27.69±1.14%) were found. The results of this study provide support for the traditional therapeutic value and the reported antimalarial activity.

Thymus serrulatus and Thymus schimperi both endemic to Ethiopia are used by the public as tea and food additives. They are claimed to have some sort of toxicity. However, no toxicity test has been conducted to date. So the present study aimed to test the acute oral toxicities of their Essential Oils (EOs). T. serrulatus was collected from Ofla (Ofl), Alamata (Ala), and Yilmana Densa (Yil) and T. schimperi from Tarmaber (Tar), Butajira (Buta), and Bale (Bal). The control group (Group I) mice were administered with calculated amounts of 0.1% Tween-80 in normal saline. Experimental group (Groups II to VI), on the other hand, were delivered with 2000 µL/Kg body weight of Ofl, Ala, Yil, Tar, Buta and Bal EOs respectively. Treated and control mice were observed, and changes were recorded for 14 days. On the 14 th day, after mice were humanely killed by heart puncture method, their organs were weighed, organ to body weight ratios were calculated and packed cell volumes (PCVs) were determined. Growth rate decrease was observed in mice treated with Yil and Buta EOs (carvacrol chemotypes) than in those treated with the thymol chemotypes (Ofl, Ala, Tar, and Bal). The organ to body weight ratios of the control group were either significantly higher than or comparable to that of the treatment groups implying that the EOs had no any inflammatory effects on the organs. The % PCVs of mice treated with the EOs were either significantly higher than or comparable to the control mice. The median lethal dose (LD50) of each EO was between 2000 µL/kg to 5000 µL/kg body weight. The LD50 values of the dry weights of thyme were calculated based on their EO yields that were approximated to be around 278g /kg bw (Bal), 313g /kg bw (Yil, Tar, and Buta) and 500g /kg bw (Ofl and Ala). Since the aerial parts, not the EOs, of thyme are used in the form of tea and food additives (not their EOs), this value is so high that these plants are not toxic. However, cautions should be taken for vulnerable groups.

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BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vivo toxicity and antibacterial activity of the leaves extracts of Boscia coriacea and Uvaria leptocladon.METHODS: Extraction was performed using 80% methanol by maceration and Soxhlet extraction method. Evaluation of the acute toxicity of the extracts was based on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) guideline. Evaluation of antibacterial activity of the extracts was done by agar well diffusion assay. Determinations of minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the extracts were performed by broth macro-dilution method. The checkerboard method was used for the determination of combined effect of antibiotics and the extracts.Paired T-test and one way analysis of variance were used for statistical analysis.RESULTS: B. coriacea and U. leptocladon have no toxic effect in Swiss albino mice up to dose of 5000 mg/kg. B. coriacea and U. leptocladon showed antibacterial activity at concentration of 500 mg/ml. The chloroform-methanol fraction of B. coriacea and U. leptocladon showed the highest antibacterial activity at concentration of 25 mg/ml. The MIC and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of B. coriacea were 125 mg/ml and 250mg/ml, respectively. The MIC of U. leptocladon ranged from 31.25 mg/ml to 62.5 mg/ml, while its MBC ranged from 62.5 to 125 mg/ml. The combination assay of B. coriacea and the antibiotics showed additive effect, while U. leptocladon and the antibiotics showed indifferent effect.CONCLUSION: The findings showed that U. leptocladon and B. coriacea leaves extracts have antibacterial activity and no toxicity in animal model.

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BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activities and phytochemical composition of the leaves extracts of Boscia coriacea Graells and Uvaria leptocladon Oliv.METHODS: The powdered leaves of Boscia coriacea Graells and Uvaria leptocladon Oliv were extracted by maceration and soxhlet extraction methods. Anti-inflammatory activity of the leaves extracts of Boscia coriacea Graells and Uvaria leptocladon Oliv were evaluated using carrageenan-induced paw edema model. Standard methods were used for analysis of phytochemical composition of the leaves extracts of Boscia coriacea Graells and Uvaria leptocladon Oliv. Data analysis was done using one way analysis of variance.RESULTS: U. leptocladon Oliv (200 mg/kg) and B. coriacea Graells (200 mg/kg) showed percent inhibition on mice paw edema of 86% and 75% after six hours of carrageenan injection, respectively. The ethanol fraction (100 mg/kg) of U. leptocladon Oliv showed the highest anti- inflammatory effect after six hours of carrageenan injection. The phytochemical analysis of the leaves extracts of B. coriacea and U. leptocladon revealed the presence of tannins, alkaloids, cardiac glycoside, flavonoids, phenols, quinones, and saponins.CONCLUSION: The crude leaves extracts of B. coriacea Graells and U. leptocladon Oliv contain phytochemicals with antiinflammatory activities.

Phragmanthera regularis is a hemi-parasitic shrub. It is known for treating various health ailments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity, toxicity, and chemical characterization of the leaf extracts of P regularis collected from the Schinus molle host plant in Ethiopia. The antimicrobial properties of crude extracts obtained with chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol, and water solvents were assayed against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The methanol extract significantly inhibited the growth of S. aureus E. coli and P. aeruginosa were resistant to any of these solvent extracts. The methanol extract was tested at 175, 550, and 2000 mg/kg body weight doses in white mice and did not reveal any toxicity. The LC-MS qTOF analysis detected flavonoids, phenolic acids, and alkaloids in the crude methanol extract. Further study is needed to investigate the effectiveness of these compounds against S. aureus.

Malaria is regarded as one of the most lethal diseases. Resistance to artemisinin and its derivatives jeopardises effective malaria treatment. Finding novel antimalarial chemicals is critical given the existing treatment situation. This work aimed to examine the antiplasmodial capabilities of <i>Pseudarthria hookeri</i> fractions and flavonoids in vivo. The fractions and compounds antiplasmodial activity were evaluated on male Swiss albino mice infected with <i>Plasmodium berghei</i>, and on healthy female Swiss albino mice, the crude extract's acute toxicity was assessed. The EtOAc fraction had significant antiplasmodial activity (32.53 percent suppression at 500 mg/kg BW) and considerably prolonged the survival period of infected mice (9.8 days) compared to control mice (7.8 days). Parasitaemia was dramatically reduced (85.01, 59.41, and 70.39 percent), and the mean survival time extended (11.33, 10.00, and 9.33 days) with 15, 20 and 35 mg/kg of quercetin (<b>1</b>), 7-O-benzyl-6-prenylpinocembrin (<b>6</b>) and 6,8-diprenyleriodictyol (<b>11</b>) (isolates of the EtOAc fraction), respectively. BW loss and PCV reduction were also averted. Moreover, at 2500 mg/kg, the crude extract of <i>P. hookeri</i> showed no acute toxicity in mice. LC-MS analysis of the EtOAc fraction enabled the identification of nine flavonoids, with <b>8</b> and <b>11</b> being the main components. The present investigation confirmed <i>P. hookeri</i>'s antiplasmodial action, substantiating its ethnomedicinal application for malaria treatment.