IN VIVO ANTIMALARIAL ACTIVITY OF METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF INNER BARK OF CORDIA AFRICANA AGAINST PLASMODIUM BERGHEI IN MICE

Abstract

Background: Malaria is one of the major health problems in Sub-Saharan Africa including Ethiopia. One of the reasons attributed for this is the development and the emergence of multidrug resistant strains of the parasite to the current effective first-choice antimalarial drugs as well as resistant vectors to insecticides. A continued search for other effective, safe and cheap plant-based antimalarial agents thus becomes necessary in the face of these difficulties. Objective: The present study was aimed to evaluate the in vivo antimalarial activity of Cordia africana in mice. Methods: The inner bark extract of Cordia africana was extracted by methanol 80% using maceration method. The resulting extract was evaluated at doses of 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg using 4-day suppressive test. Results: The methanolic crude extract of Cordia africana showed 18.30, 24.84, and 31.37% (P < 0.05) chemosuppression at the doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of extract, respectively as compared to negative control. The extract showed a significant weight loss at 400 mg/kg when compared with negative control but it did not change the body temperature of P. berghei infected mice. The extract was safe at the limit dose of 2,000 mg/kg in mice. Phenols, saponins and flavonoids were detected by the preliminary phytochemical screening. Conclusion: From this study it can be concluded that the inner bark extract of Cordia africana has antimalarial activity as seen in its ability to suppress P.berghei infection and this can be base for further studies to develop effective antimalarial agents.