In vitro antiplasmodial and toxicological activities of Vittaria anguste-elongata Hayata extracts

Abstract

Background: The Vittaria anguste-elongata Hayata fern is a common species that grows on the trunks of palm trees. On the other hand, the phytochemical and pharmacological activities of this specie have not been investigated to a great extent. Objective: In this study, we reported the invitro antiplasmodial and toxicological activities from a variety of this specie's extract. Method: Methanol was used to extract the aerial part of the specie, and then a liquid-liquid extraction was done using n-hexane, dichloromethane, and ethyl acetate). Assays for antiplasmodial activity and toxicity were carried out with two different strains of Plasmodium falciparum (3D7 and W2), as well as the brine shrimp lethality test.  Result: The antiplasmodial activities demonstrated that the dichloromethane extract had the most potential antiplasmodial activities among the extracts with an IC50 value of 13.65±0.06 μg/mL. On the other hand, the toxicological activities performed on Artemia salina demonstrated that n-hexane, dichloromethane, and ethyl acetate were all classified as toxic. Conclusion: These findings provide a foundation for future research into isolating and analysing the biological activity of secondary metabolites found in the extract.