Evaluation ofIn VitroAntimalarial Activity of Different Extracts ofArtemisia aucheriBoiss. andA. armeniacaLam. and Fractions of the Most Potent Extracts

Abstract

Ten extracts with different polarity from two IranianArtemisiaspecies,A. armeniacaLam. andA. aucheriBoiss, were screened for their antimalarial properties byin vitro  β-hematin formation assay. Dichloromethane (DCM) extracts of both plants showed significant antimalarial activities with IC50values of 1.36 ± 0.01 and 1.83 ± 0.03 mg/mL and IC90values of 2.12 ± 0.04 and 2.62 ± 0.09 mg/mL forA. armeniacaandA. aucheri, respectively. Bioactivity-guided fractionation of DCM extracts of both plants by vacuum liquid chromatography (VLC) over silica gel with solvent mixtures of increasing polarities afforded seven fractions. Two fractions from DCM extract ofA. armeniacaand four fractions from DCM extract ofA. aucherishowed potent antimalarial activity with reducing IC50and IC90values compared to extracts. The most potent fraction belonged to DCM extract ofA. armeniacawith IC50and IC90values of 0.47 ± 0.006 and 0.71 ± 0.006 mg/mL, respectively.