Pathology of Plasmodium berghei-Infected Mice Liver Treated with Extract of Breadfruit Peel (Artocarpus communis)

Abstract

The protozoan parasite Plasmodium infection can cause malaria in both humans and animals. There are reports about the resistance to certain antimalarial medications. Therefore, searching for alternative medicine, such as herbal remedies, is important. This study focused on the pathophysiology of the livers of mice infected intraperitoneally with Plasmodium berghei and the efficacy of ethanol extract from breadfruit peel. Fifty male DDY mice weighing 25 and 35 grams were placed into five treatment groups. The treatment group was infected with P. berghei and administered with breadfruit peel extract at 100 mg/kg: 200 mg/kg, and 300 mg/kg, respectively, for P1, P2, and P3, P4 treated with 100 mg/kg of Doxycycline and the P5 group received no therapy. After one and two weeks, five mice from each group terminated, and then Histopathological of the liver organs were observed and scored microscopically. The results indicated that Plasmodium infection produced varied degrees of liver damage in mice. The liver’s gross pathology revealed hepatomegaly, a deeper hue than normal animal liver, and flattened edges. After two weeks of infection, histopathological examination revealed that breadfruit extract could lower the amount of Plasmodium in the liver, as indicated by decreased hemozoin, and the l iver in the healing process.