In vivo antiplasmodial activities of Nauclea latifolia

Abstract

Background:The plant Nauclea latifolia is widely used in the southern parts of Nigeria for the treatment of malaria. Malaria is the number one killer disease in Nigeria. WHO reports that malaria continues to cause approximately 207 million cases of infection around the world and kills yearly about 627,000 people. It still kills a child somewhere in the world every minute. The study was aimed at evaluating the in vivo antiplasmodial activities of the extract and fractions (n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol, aqueous) of the stembark in Plasmodium berghei berghei infected mice. Materials and Methods: Through oral administration of the extract (100, 200 and 300mg/kg) and fractions (200 mg/kg), antiplasmodial activities were screened using 4-day suppressive, 7-day curative and repository tests. Signifi cance was determined using ANOVA followed by Tukey-Kramer multiple comparison post-test using Graphpad Instat 3.10. A probability level of less than 5% was considered signifi cant. Results: The extract exhibited signifi cant dose-dependent antiplasmodial activity in the suppressive and repository tests. A signifi cant (p<0.05-0.001) dose-dependent reduction in parasitaemia in extract-treated groups in curative test was also observed. The aqueous fraction had the highest percentage chemosuppressive effect (67.71%). The extract also dose-dependently increased the survival days of the infected mice. The preliminary phytochemical investigation showed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, tannins, fl avonoids and cardiac glycosides. Conclusion: This result confi rmed the ethnobotanical use of the plant as malarial remedy and calls for further investigation of its phytochemical components and its antimalarial potentials.

Effect of Nauclea subdita (Korth.) Steud. leaf extract on hematological and histopathological changes in liver and kidney of striped catfish infected by Aeromonas hydrophila

“…N. subdita contains secondary metabolites such as tannins, alkaloids, and phenolic compounds, which act as a natural bactericide [26]. The leaves, bark, and root of Nauclea latifolia, N. subdita, and Nauclea officinalis are also known to contain alkaloids, flavonoids, and tannins [27][28][29].…”

Traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of African Nauclea species: A review

“…Based on their traditional uses against malaria N. latifolia and N. pobeguinii have been evaluated as antiplasmodial (Table 14). The first report of antimalarial activity of N. latifolia stem and roots aqueous extracts on Plasmodium falciparum was published in 1998 by Benoit-Vical et al This activity was later confirmed by other studies using aqueous, alcoholic or hydroalcoholic extracts of stem bark, roots or leaves (Udobre et al, 2013a;Zirihi et al, 2005;Ettebong et al, 2014;Onyesom et al, 2015;Dibua et al, 2013;Adebajo et al, 2014; for a review see Boucherle et al, 2016). Hydro-alcoholic extracts of N. pobeguinii stem bark also presented antiplasmodial activity.…”

Antiplasmodial activity of methanol leaf extract of Citrus aurantifolia (Christm) Swingle

“…Care was taken not to overlap fields. The parasite density was calculated using the formula (27): Repository/prophylactic activity The method of Ettebong et al (28) was also employed to evaluate the prophylactic activity of the extract. Groups 1-3 were administered with 320, 640 and 960 mg/kg of the extract orally.…”

“…The earlier method described by Ettebong et al, (28) and Adu-Gyasi et al, (26) was used. A quantity of 0.2 ml of blood containing P. berghei berghei parasitized blood was administered intraperitoneally to the mice on the first day (D0) and left for 72 hours for parasitaemia to be established.…”