Anti-malarial and Histopathological Effect of Plasmodium berghei Infected Mice Treated with Extracts of Sarcocephalus latifolius and Pterocarpus osun

Aim: The study addressed anti-malarial activity, haematological, biochemical and histopathological changes due to the administration of ethanol extract of Sarcocephalus latifolius (leaf), Pterocarpus osun (stem bark) and the combined extract of the two plants in Plasmodium berghei parasitised mice.

Study Design: Fifty-six mice were weighed and divided into 14 groups of 4 mice each. Infected mice in groups 1-9 were treated with P. osun extract (PO1, PO2, PO3), S. latifolius extract (SL1, SL2, SL3), combined extracts of P. osun and S. latifolius (POSL1, POSL2, POSL3); all at doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight respectively. Group 10 received chloroquine, Group 11 were infected without treatment. Group 12 and 13 respectively received P. osun and S. latifolius extract (200 mg/kg body) only. Animals in group 14 serve as normal control.

Place and Duration of Study: Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria July-November, 2017.

Methodology: Extracts obtained from powdered plant materials were screened for phytochemical constituents and used in the treatment of mice infected with Plasmodium berghei. Average percentage parasitaemia was calculated by dividing the number of erythrocytes by number of parasitised erythrocytes multiplied by one hundred. Toxicity and histopathological studies were carried out on the typical spleen and liver sections of the experimental mice. One way Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for statistical analysis.

Results: Qualitative phytochemical screening indicated that alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins and tannins were present in the plant samples. The highest percent reduction in parasitaemia was observed in S. latifolius treatment group (400 mg/kg body weight) which also compared favourably with Chloroquine treatment group (control). S. latifolius treatment group (400 mg/kg body weight) and the combined extract at 100 mg/kg body weight could be considered as effective doses considering the observable changes noted in the hematological indices. Histopathological examination revealed hemosiderosis and hepatic necrosis.

Conclusions: The result showed that S. latifolius extract at 400 mg/kg body weight reduced parasitaemia significantly while P. osun boosted the haematological indices without parasite reduction.