ANTIMALARIAL ACTIVITY OF THE DIFFERENT FRACTIONS OF THE ROOT EXTRACTS OF SALACIA NITIDA (BENTH) (CELASTRACEAE) ON PLASMODIUM BERGHEI INFECTION IN MICE

Dooka Barido Donatus* and Kagbo Hope Delesi

ABSTRACT

Background: Resistance to antimalarial agents is a major challenge in the treatment of malaria. The aim of the study was to evaluate the antimalarial activity of the root extract of Salacia nitida in Plasmodium berghei infection in mice. Method: The plant material was successively extracted with N-hexane, Dichloromethane, Ethyl acetate, and Methanol. In suppressive test Plasmodium berghei inoculated mice were randomly divided into eight groups of 5 mice each. Group 1, was treated with the vehicle (10 ml/kg distilled water), the treated groups received 100 and 200 mg / kg of DCM, Et Ac and MeOH respectively. Group VIII was treated with Artesunate 5 mg /kg. In the chemoprophylactic and curative test, the treated received 100,200 and 400 mg / kg. The variation in level of parasitemia, survival time and weight of the mice, were used to determine the activity of the extract. Results: In the suppressive test; 100 mg /kg of DCM, Et Ac. And Me OH activities were 25.58, 26.51 and 11.90% (P<0.05) and 200 mg/ kg. produced activities 63.95%, 28.83, 25.58% respectively and Artesunate 61.40% (p<0.05).In chemoprophylactic activities were: 38.02%, 55.97%, 71.81 and Artesunate 65.40% while curative activities were 28.16%, 31.36%, and 63.36% at doses of 100mg/kg, 200gm/kg, and 400mg/kg respectively of the Dichloromethane extract showed significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: The results of the study showed that the Dichloromethane root extract of Salacia nitida possesses good chemoprophylactic and moderate curative activity, which could be exploited in the search for malaria drugs.

Keywords: Antimalarial activity, Salacia nitida, Malaria, Plasmodium berghei, Mice.