ANTIPLASMODIAL ACTIVITY AND SAFETY ASSESSMENT OF METHANOL LEAF EXTRACT OF Detarium microcarpum GUILL. & PERR. (FABACEAE)
| AMIRA RAHANA ABDULLAHI*, SANI MALAMI, UMAR SHARIF ABDUSSALAM, LAWAL ALHASSAN BICHI |
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria.
Afr. J Pharm Res Dev; Volume 12(3): 288-298 (2020)
ABSTRACT
Malaria is an endemic infectious disease that is widespread in the tropical and sub-tropical areas of the world, leading to morbidity and mortality. Detarium microcarpum Guill. & Perr. (Fabaceae) is used traditionally in the treatment of malaria, diabetes, hypertension, and pneumonia. The aim of this study is to evaluate the antiplasmodial activity and safety profile of methanol leaf extract of Detarium microcarpum. Phytochemical screening and oral median lethal dose (LD50) estimation of the extract were carried out. The antiplasmodial activity was evaluated in mice infected with chloroquine sensitive Plasmodium berghei-berghei using curative, suppressive and prophylactic experimental models. For toxicity studies, rats were orally administered with the extract of Detarium microcarpum daily for 28 days, biochemical assay and hematological analysis were conducted. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, triterpenes and glycosides. Oral LD50 of the extract was estimated to be > 5000 mg/kg. The extract at all doses tested produced a significant (p < 0.001) curative, suppressive and prophylactic effects. The extract also significantly prolonged the survival time of the treated mice up to 19 days compared to the negative control group. The extract revealed some significant increase in AST (p < 0.01) and ALP (p < 0.001) at the highest dose. However, kidney function tests and hematological analysis were not significantly affected in all the treatment groups as compared to the control. The results of this study suggest that the methanol leaf extract of Detarium microcarpum possesses curative, suppressive and prophylactic anti-plasmodial activity and is relatively safe.
Email of correspondence: ameerahemtee@gmail.com;
KEYWORDS: Antiplasmodial; Detarium microcarpum; Plasmodium berghei-berghei; Chloroquine; Artesunate.