PROBABLE MECHANISM OF ACTION AND GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROSCOPY PROFILE OF THE ANTIMALARIAL FRACTIONS OF THE HEXANE SEED EXTRACT OF AFRAMOMUM DANIELLI K. SCHUM (ZINGIBERACEAE)

*Tejumade S. Ujomu, Oyindamola O. Abiodun, Gabriel O. Adegoke and Grace O. Gbotosho

ABSTRACT

Introduction: There is an urgent need for the discovery of new chemotherapeutic agents that could serve as alternative drugs or leads for the synthesis of new antimalarials. One possible source for that might lie in ethno-medicine. Methods: This study evaluated the antimalarial activity, mechanism of action and constituents of the hexane extract of Aframomum danielli seeds and its column-fractions. The in vivo antimalarial activity of the hexane extract of AD and its column fractions against Chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium berghei (ANKA) strain, the mechanism of action and the constituents of the column fractions was determined using the Peters’ 4-day suppressive test, the beta hematin assay and gas chromatography and mass spectrometry respectively. Results: In this study, ADHF1 and ADHF7, two of the eight column-fractions obtained from the hexane extract of Aframomum danielli seeds and screened for in vivo antimalarial activity produced a chemosuppression of 63.9% and 62.4% respectively at 200 mg/kg. Both fractions inhibited the conversion of heme to heamozoin and contained arenes and terpenoids following gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Conclusion: The observed antimalarial activity observed justifies the use of Aframomum danielli seeds in the treatment of febrile illnesses.

Keywords: Antimalarial activity, mechanism of action, Aframomum danielli, heme, heamozoin Arenes, terpenoids.