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. 2020 Jun;44(2):305-313.
doi: 10.1007/s12639-020-01207-7. Epub 2020 Mar 9.

Antiplasmodial activity of Cocos nucifera leaves in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice

Nicole M Tayler  1   2 , Rosa De Jesús  1 , Rita Spadafora  3 , Lorena M Coronado  1 , Carmenza Spadafora  1
Affiliations

Antiplasmodial activity of Cocos nucifera leaves in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice

Nicole M Tayler et al. J Parasit Dis. 2020 Jun.

Abstract

Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) malaria presents serious public health problems worldwide. The parasite´s resistance to antimalarial drugs has proven to be a significant hurdle in the search for effective treatments against the disease. For this reason, the study of natural products to find new antimalarials remains a crucial step in the fight against malaria. In this study, we aimed to study the in vivo performance of the decoction of C. nucifera leaves in P. berghei-infected mice. We analyzed the effectiveness of different routes of administration and the acute toxicity of the extract. Additionally, we determined the suppressive, curative and prophylactic activity of the extract. The results showed that the decoction of leaves of C. nucifera is most effective when administered intramuscularly to mice in comparison to intraperitoneal, subcutaneous and intragastric methods. We also found that organ signs of acute toxicity appear at 2000 mg/kg/day as evidenced by necropsy examination. Additionally, we found that the prophylactic effect of the extract is of 48% inhibition, however, there is no curative effect. Finally, in a 4-day suppressive assay, we found that the extract can inhibit the growth of the parasite by up to 54% at sub-toxic doses when administered intramuscularly.

Keywords: Antiplasmodial; Aqueous extract; Cocos nucifera; Plasmodium berghei; Plasmodium falciparum.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Weight of P. berghei infected mice by different inoculation routes. The graph represents the mean of two mice in each of the groups. IM, intramuscular; SC, subcutaneous; IG, intragastric; CQ, Chloroquine and control (untreated)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Treatment of infected mice with 500 and 750 mg/kg/day of the extract. Results shown are the mean of 5 mice in each group. Parasite growth was determined by microscopy and compared to controls with only vehicle added. Results shown are the mean of 5 mice ± SEM values. A p ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. a = p<0.05, b = p<0.01, c = p<0.005, d = p<0.0001
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Curative assay of C. nucifera extract against P. berghei. Results shown are the mean of five mice ± SEM values. Parasite growth was determined by microscopy and compared to culture controls with only vehicle added. Day 1 [D1] is the 1 day of treatment after 72 h of untreated parasite infection
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Prophylactic assay of C. nucifera extracts against P. berghei. Parasite growth was determined by flow cytometry and compared to culture controls with only vehicle added. Results shown are the mean of 5 mice ± SEM values
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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