Antimalarial Activity of Ethanolic Leaf Extract of Maesobotrya barteri and Effects on Some Hematological and Biochemical Parameters of Mice

Aim: This study was conducted to determine the antimalarial activity of ethanolic leaf extract of Maesobotrya barteri, and effects on some hematological and biochemical parameters.

Methodology: Twenty eight albino mice were selected and twenty four of these were injected intraperitoneally with 1×106 Plasmodium berghei (NK65 strain) parasitized red blood cells in 0.5 ml of distilled water on the first day. After 72 hours, the animals were placed in seven groups having four animals each. Group 1 was uninoculated and untreated. Group 2 (inoculated and untreated) served as negative control. Group 3 was treated with 25 mg/kg bwt chloroquine and served as the positive control. Group 4 was treated with 4 mg/kg body weight of artesunate. 500 mg/kg, 800 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg body weight of the extract were administered to groups 5, 6 and 7 respectively for four (4) days. On the fifth day post administration, the animals were anesthesized and blood obtained by cardiac puncture for hematological and biochemical investigation. The liver from the mice were harvested after sacrifice on the fifth day and subjected to histological techniques in order to generate permanently stained sections.

Results: Maesobotrya barteri showed a significant parasitemia reduction. For all three doses of the extract administered to infected mice, there was a significant reduction in the mean number of parasitized red blood cells during the four days of treatment. The concentration of 1000 mg/kg body weight of the plant extract had the highest antimalarial activity with a parasite inhibition of 97.2%. There was a significant increase in PCV level and haemoglobin concentration. The WBC count showed an increase which was not statistically significant. The ESR level was lowered for the treated groups when compared to the negative control. The liver markers assay revealed a significant lowering in the levels of ALT, AST, ALP and total bilirubin for all treated groups when compared to the negative control. The levels of the liver enzymes for the positive control was similar to the values obtained for the extract treated groups. The histology of the infected, untreated group showed endothelial cell derangement in the central vein (CV) and hepatic necrosis. The histological section of groups treated with standard drugs and 1000 mg/kg bwt extract showed the impression of normal histology.

Conclusion: This study has established the antiplasmodial activity of Maesobotrya barteri. The study also confirmed that the plant has hematopoietic potential and hepato-enhancing property. These findings support the folkloric use of the plant in the treatment of malaria.