Metabolite Profiling of the Extract and Antimalarial Activity of the Tablets Derived from the Cortex of Alstonia spectabilis

Abstract

Malaria is a global health concern that threatens many countries. Plasmodium sp. may facilitate human transmission and is currently relatively resistant to chloroquine. The people in Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, have traditionally employed the cortex of Black Pulai (Alstonia spectabilis) as a treatment for malaria for a considerable period. The objective of this study is to analyze the phytochemical composition of the 96% ethanol extract of A. spectabilis cortex (ASCE) and evaluate the antimalarial properties of tablets derived from A. spectabilis cortex extract (ASCT). A metabolite profile analysis was conducted on ASCE utilizing a UPLC-QToF-MS/MS method. And antimalarial test was conducted on ASCT on mice (Mus musculus) infected with Plasmodium berghei, and the blood smears of the mice were analyzed along with liver tissue damage. The results showed that administering ASCT could reduce the percentage of parasitemia in mice as well as the average liver damage score. This situation is feasible due to the presence of significant compounds in the ASCE that are anticipated to function as antiplasmodium agents, including villalstonine, vincadifformine, and pleiocarpamine. From these findings, one can infer that ASCT, which includes ASCE as its active component, has the potential to serve as a preferred antimalarial medication.