Antiplasmodial activities of Morinda lucida (Benth) and Alstonia boonei (De wild) in mice infected with Plasmodium berghei

Abstract

Abstract Background This study focused on the antiplasmodial activities of two botanicals: Morinda lucida and Alstonia boonei used in malaria treatment. The in vivo activity of the plants against established Plasmodium berghei NK65 infection was evaluated in 75 experimental mice randomly distributed into 15 groups and treated with extracts of M. lucida and A. boonei, combined recipe of the two plants at graded doses of 400, 600, and 800 mg/kg and chloroquine at 10 mg/kg. Results The results revealed that the percentage parasitemia was higher in the infected untreated mice (18.40%) than the treated mice. Among the treated mice, the highest percentage parasitemia (6.0%) was obtained in mice treated with 800 mg/kg of A. boonei while the lowest percentage parasitemia (0.0%) was obtained in mice treated with 10 mg/kg of chloroquine. Chloroquine eliminated all the parasites (100% clearance) when compared to the percentage clearance by the plant extracts. For the plant extracts, antiplasmodial activity was highest with the combined recipe of M. lucida and A. boonei at 800 mg/kg (92%) and lowest at 800 mg/kg (45%) of M. lucida. Meanwhile, the optimal antiplasmodial activity (83%) of M. lucida was obtained at 400 mg/kg and that of A. boonei was obtained at 600 mg/kg (85%). Conclusions This study revealed that the two plant extracts under the study have antiplasmodial activities which are promising in reducing the morbidity and mortality of drug-resistant malaria in endemic communities.