Methanol extract of Erythrina senegalensis leaves (MEES) ameliorates Plasmodium berghei-ANKA 65-parasitised aberrations in mice

Abstract

The aim of this research was to investigate the phytochemical composition and antimalarial effects of the methanol extract of Erythrina senegalensis leaves (MEES) and its ameliorative effects on some haematological and biochemical alterations in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice. Thirty Swiss mice, 18-22 grams were placed in 6 groups of 5 mice. Group 1 served as normal control. Groups 2-6 were infected with P. berghei. Group 2 was untreated while group 3 was treated with 5 mg/kg body weight of chloroquine. Groups 4-6 were treated orally with 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg b.w. of the MEES for 4 days. The percentage parasitaemia, haematological and biochemical parameters were investigated. Phytochemical analysis indicated the presence of a number of phyto-constituents. The acute toxicity test of the MEES showed no toxicity up to a dose of 5000 mg/kg b. wt. P. berghei infection triggered marked increases in percentage parasitaemia, lipid peroxidation, liver enzymes, kidney function and lipid profile, while the antioxidant and haematological parameters declined in the untreated group. Treatment with the MEES led to significant (p < 0.05) reduction in percentage parasitaemia, lipid peroxidation, liver enzymes, kidney function and lipid profile, and a corresponding increase in antioxidant and haematological parameters, indicating that the MEES reversed complications associated with P. berghei infection.

Antimalarial effect of ethanol extract of Parinari curatellifolia stem-bark in Plasmodium berghei-NK 65 infected mice

“…The increased activities of the aminotransferases (AST, ALT) and alkaline phosphatase could be as a result of hepatocellular injury (Gowda et al, 2009) while the increased hyperbilirubinemia could be due to parenchymal liver cell damage and biliary obstruction induced by the liver schizonts of malaria parasite (Limdi and Hyde, 2003;Hoekstra et al, 2013). This finding is in agreement with previous studies (Enechi et al, 2021;Iyiola, 2020;Joshua et al, 2020) which reported increased liver enzyme activities and hyperbilirubinemia in mice infected with Plasmodium berghei. The reduction of the elevated AST, ALT and ALP showed that the extract was effective in reversing the hepatocellular damage caused by the Plasmodium parasite.…”

“…The reduction in plasma concentration of bilirubin of mice infected with Plasmodium berghei and treated with the extract shows that the extract reversed liver cell damage and restored liver cell function. This is consistent with the report of Joshua et al (2020) which showed that E. sengalensis extract lowered total bilirubin concentration in Plasmodium berghei infected mice.…”

“…However, the administration of the extract significantly (p < 0.05) increased the haemoglobin concentration in the test groups. This result is consistent with previous studies (Aragaw et al, 2020;Joshua et al, 2020;Enechi et al, 2021). The increased concentration of haemoglobin in the treated animals could possibly be as a result of the inhibition of the parasite's digestion of haemoglobin by the secondary metabolites present in the extract.…”

“…The result of the study indicated that the ethanol extract of Parinari curatellifolia stem bark significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the total cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL cholesterol while significantly (p < 0.05) while raising the HDL cholesterol in the treated animals compared to the untreated ones (positive control). This result corroborates previous studies (Enechi et al, 2021;Joshua et al, 2020). This study reveal that malaria infection results in mixed hyperlipoproteinemia in mice, characterized by increased total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol and decreased HDL-cholesterol (Natesan and Kim, 2021).…”

Extract of Morinda lucida leaf rescues hypoglycaemic and dyslipidaemic conditions in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice

“…The present study shows evidence of dyslipidaemia in P. berghei infection. This is in conformity with the previous studies that demonstrated increased TC and LDL-c in human and rodent malaria (Ngou-Milama et al, 1995;Krishna et al, 2009;Jacob, 2014) and rodents (Joshua et al, 2020). Treatments with both chloroquine and the extract lowered TC and LDL-c in P. berghei-infected mice, suggesting the efficiency of the extract in mitigating malaria-induced dyslipidaemia.…”