Abstract:
Background :- Malaria constitutes one of the major health problems in Ethiopia. One of the reasons attributed for the upsurge is the development of resistance of Plasmodium falciparum and the emergence of multi drug resistant strains of the parasite to anti malarial drugs. A continued search for other effective, safe and cheap plant-based ant malarial agents thus becomes imperative in the face of these difficulties.
Objective :- The objective of the present study is to identify phytochemical profiles , evaluation of acute toxicity, sub acute toxicity and the in vivo anti malarial activities of the methanolic extracts of Hagenia abyssinica (Bruce) J. F. Gmel.
Methods :- The plant material Hagenia abyssinica was screened phytochemically for presence of secondary metabolites. Acute toxicity studies of the extracts were also carried out by giving up to 2000mg/kg to non infected mice. Weight loss, change in general behavior and mortality were used as indicators of toxicity and also evaluated for its antimalarial activity in vivo assays against Plasmodium berghei infected mice using 4 day suppression test. Different doses of 100, 200 and 400mg/kg crude extracts, chloroquine base 10mg/kg (positive control) and normal saline (negative control) administered by an intragastric gavage daily for the treatment period.
Results :- Qualitative Phytochemical screening showed presence of Anthraquinones, terpinoids, saponins, phenols, flavonoides, alkaloids and tannins.The crude extract was non toxic at a single dose of 2000mg/kg body weight in acute toxicity study. Antimalarial suppressive test of methanol crude extracts at 100, 200 and 400mg/kg showed 65.29%, 79.6 %, 83.33 respectively indicating that the plant is promising for further investigation.
Conclusion:- Crude extracts of H.abyssinica caused strong activities against P. berghei in swiss albino mice indicating that they contain some chemical constituents that possibly lead to antimalarial drug development. No signs of acute toxicity were observed. Further detailed pharmacological and toxicological studies are recommended for drug development.
