Methanolic extracts of Anogeissus leiocarpus has been considered locally to have the same antimalarial activities as artemisinin derivatives. This work studied the in vivo antiplasmodial activity of methanolic extracts of A. leiocarpus and its effect on oxidative stress and lipid profile in mice infected with Plasmodium bergheii. Mice used for this study were divided into five groups; four of the groups were infected with P. bergheii. The first group was not infected with the parasite. The second group was infected with parasite but not treated with antimalarial drugs (negative control). The third group was infected and treated with artesunat at 5 mg/kg body weight (positive control), while the fourth and fifth groups were infected and treated with 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight of extract of stem bark of A. leiocarpus, respectively. The rate of parasite clearance was higher in the group treated with 200 mg/kg body weight of extract of A. leiocarpus when compared with the groups treated with artesunat. Malondialdehyde (MDA) level was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the serum of negative control as compared with other groups which have received treatment. MDA level was moderately higher in the liver homogenates of infected mice treated with artesunat than in other groups. There were significant increases (P < 0.05) in the levels of serum and liver superoxide dismutase of infected mice treated with 200 mg/kg body weight of A. leiocarpus when compared with other groups. Serum low density lipoprotein, total triglyceride, and total cholesterol were moderately higher in the group treated with artesunat than other groups, while high density lipoprotein (HDL) level was higher in the two groups treated with A. leiocarpus as compared with the group treated with artesunat. This study shows that the methanolic extract of A. leiocarpus has high antimalarial activities, high antioxidant property, and capable of boosting HDL level in malaria-infected organisms.
Terminalia avicennioides Guill. & Perr. (Combretaceae) is used traditionally to treat malaria in Nigeria. To establish its efficacy, methanolic extract of T. avicennioides bark was investigated for antimalarial activity against Plasmodium berghei (NK-65) in mice. Twenty-five mice in five groups were used for this study. Group 1 was uninfected normal control. Twenty mice infected with P. berghei were grouped as untreated negative control (group 2), 5 mg/kg b.w. p.o. artesunate-treated positive control (group 3), and 100 and 200 mg/kg b.w. p.o. T. avicennioides-treated infected mice (groups 4 and 5, respectively). Four-day suppressive effects on P. berghei and hematological and oxidative statuses of the mice were assessed. Suppression of parasitemia by artesunate and methanolic extract of T. avicennioides (at 100 and 200 mg/kg b.w.) after 1 day of treatment was 10, 18, and 11% respectively; at day 5, the level of suppression was 77, 82, and 84% respectively. P. berghei infection decreased hemoglobin, red blood cell, and lymphocyte counts and increased neutrophil count; artesunate and medicinal plant treatment restored these parameters to normal control levels. Also, artesunate and medicinal plant treatment of infected mice significantly (p < 0.05) increased serum and liver superoxide dismutase activities and significantly (p < 0.05) reduced serum malondialdehyde concentration compared to untreated infected mice. The antimalarial effect of T. avicennioides is comparable to that of artesunate. The restoration of oxidative and hematological statuses, to normal values by T. avicennioides, may provide better protection against the malaria severity and complications.
Background: Malaria has been a deleterious disease that affects man, especially in the tropics. Some medicinal plants have been found to have antimalarial activities but the appropriate dosage and the pathological effect of these plants on the liver are yet to be studied. This work studied the effect of Anogeissus leiocarpus on the liver function of mice infected with P. berghei.Methods & Materials: Mice weighing between 18-25 g were infected with P.berghei and distributed into five groups. The first group was not infected with the parasite (normal control). The second group was infected but not treated with antimalarial drug (negative control). The third group was infected and treated with 5.0 mg/kg of artesunat (positive control). The fourth and fifth groups were infected and treated with 100 and 200 mg/kg of methanolic extract of Anogeissus leiocarpus.Results: The serum and liver alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level was significantly higher in the group treated with 200 mg/kg than the normal and positive control (P<0.05). The mean serum and liver aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were significantly higher (P<0.05) in the negative control than other groups studied. The total bilirubin level was significantly higher in the negative control and the group treated with 200 mg/kg than the group treated with 100 mg/kg. The serum and liver protein and albumin levels were significantly lower in the negative control when compared with other groups studied Conclusion: This study shows reduction in serum and liver ALT, AST, bilirubin, protein and albumin levels in methanolic extract of A. leiocarpus treated groups than the negative control group.
Haematological parameters are frequently used to support the diagnosis of several diseases including malaria. Anogeissus leiocapus is used traditionally to treat malaria and has been shown to possess profound antimalarial activities in Plasmodium berghei infected mice. This study evaluated the effects of the methanolic extracts of A. leiocarpus on the haematological status of P. berghei-infected mice. Twenty albino mice were inoculated intra-peritoneally with P. berghei while 5 others were left uninfected to serve as control, (Group A). Group B, negative control, received distilled water. Group C (positive control) was treated with artesunate at 5 mg/kg body weight while A. leiocarpus extract was orally administered at 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight for 4 days to Groups D and E respectively. On the fifth day of treatment, haematological parameters (red blood cell (RBC), white blood cell (WBC) and platelet counts; packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb) concentration and differential leukocyte count) were assessed using standard methods. A. leiocarpus at 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg body weight increased the haemoglobin, RBC and PCV levels of treated P. Berghei infected mice compared to negative control. Lymphocyte levels of these same groups significantly (p<0.05) increased while neutrophil level reduced. Our findings show that A. leiocarpus has anti-anaemic properties.
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