Antiplasmodial Profiling of Mangifera indica's Herbal Formulation and Its Ability to Ameliorate Hematological Derangements in Plasmodium berghei-Infected Mice

Abstract

Background Malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum with an average prevalence of 75% in Nigeria, can be treated. Chemical-based medications, one of the methods used to treat it, frequently causes hematological abnormalities in the blood tissues. However, the ethnobotanical and scientific usage of Mangifera indica for the management of malaria in Nigeria necessitated this study on the antiplasmodial evaluation, the hematological profiling of Plasmodium berghei-infected mice treated with Mangifera indica's herbal formulation as well as the isolation and characterization of bioactive compounds from the plants. Method The plant's coarse leaves (3 kg) and stem bark (3.2 g) were weighed, divided into groups of leaves (250.71 g), stem bark (509.34 g), leaves/stem bark (1:1) (101.24/101.24 g), leaves/stem bark (1:2) (164.39/328.78 g), and leaves/stem bark (2:1) (218.50/109.25 g), macerated in 3 L of ethanol for 72 h, filtered, and concentrated. For each extract, the following weights and yields were recorded: 31.3 g leaves (15.2%), 43.8 g stem bark (8.7%), 34.8 g leaves/stem bark (1:1) (17.2%), 29.2 g leaves/stem bark (1:2) (5.92%), and 26.1 g leaves/stem bark (2:1) (7.96%). According to established methods, the herbal formulation was employed for hematological testing, GC-MS analysis, and in vivo antiplasmodial evaluation based on standard protocols. Results The leaves: Stem bark (1:2) extract (the best therapeutic response) of 98.92% was better than ACT (98.63%). GCMS analysis revealed predominantly mangiferin and esters of linoleic acids that could have enhanced erythropoiesis, mitigated infections, as well as boosted platelet aggregation in P berghei-infected mice as observed from the hematological assay. Conclusion Therefore, the extract of leaves: stem bark (1:2) had the best antiplasmodial therapeutic response and hematoprotective activity in P berghei-infected mice.