In vivo antiplasmodial activity of hydromethanolic leaf extract and solvent fractions of Maytenus gracilipes (Celastraceae) against Plasmodium berghei in mice

Abstract

Background: The incidence of resistance among currently available antimalarial drugs, as well as the high economic cost of malaria, has prompted researchers to look for novel antimalarial molecules. As a result, the current study was proposed to evaluate the antiplasmodial activity (in vivo) of Maytenus gracilipes based on the plant's traditional claims.

Methods: A cold maceration procedure using 80% methanol as a solvent was employed to obtain a crude extract from M. gracilipes leaves. Chloroform, n-butanol, and pure water were used to fractionate the hydromethanolic extract. Standard procedures were followed for an acute oral toxicity test. The antimalarial effects of the plant at 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg doses were investigated using three rodent malaria models (4-day suppressive, rane's, and repository tests). Thirty mice were utilized in each experiment (3 treatment and 2 control groups, each with six mice). Parasitemia, survival time, body weight, temperature, and packed cell volume were all used to assess the extracts' antiplasmodial activity. To compare results between groups, a one-way ANOVA with Post Hoc Tukey's HSD was used.

Results: In a 4-day suppressive investigation, all doses of the crude extract and fractions suppressed parasitemia significantly (P < 0.001) as compared to the negative control. The crude extract had the greatest chemosuppressive effect (74.15%) at 600 mg/kg dose. Chloroform had the greatest parasitemia suppression among the fractions; however it was less than the crude extract. In Rane's test, all doses of the crude extract produced substantial (P < 0.001) curative effects as compared to the negative control.

Conclusion: According to this study, the crude extract and solvent fractions of M. gracilipes leaves contain antimalarial activity with a substantial suppressive effect. The antiplasmodial effects were more active in the chloroform and n-butanol fractions, indicating that the plant's non-polar and medium polar constituents are responsible. Nonetheless, further analysis is required to isolate and characterize the active compounds responsible for the study plant's antimalarial activity.

Keywords: Antiplasmodial activity; Extract; Fraction; In vivo; Maytenus gracilipes.

Figure 1

Effect of the Hydromethanolic Extract and Its Fractions of Maytenus gracilipes on Percentage Suppression and Survival Time of Plasmodium berghei-infected Mice in the four-day Suppressive Test. Results are expressed as mean ± SEM; n = 6; a = compared to NC; b = to 25 mg/kg CQ; d = to 400 mg/kg; e = to 600 mg/kg; ¹p < 0.05, ²p < 0.01, ³p < 0.001; NC = negative control (distilled water/2% tween-80), MG = crude extract of Maytenus gracilipes, CF = chloroform fraction, BF = butanol fraction, AF = aqueous fraction, CQ = chloroquine.

Figure 2

Effect of Maytenus gracilipes Hydromethanolic Extract and Its Fractions on Packed Cell Volume of Mice Infected with P. berghei in the Four-day Suppressive Test. Results are articulated as mean ± SEM; n = 6; a = compared to NC; b = to 25 mg/kg CQ; d = to 400 mg/kg; e = to 600 mg/kg; ¹p < 0.05, ²p < 0.01, ³p < 0.001; NC = negative control (distilled water/2% tween-80), MG = crude extract of Maytenus gracilipes, CF = chloroform fraction, BF = butanol fraction, AF = aqueous fraction, CQ = chloroquine, D0 = pre -treatment value on day 0, D4 = post-treatment value on day 4.

Figure 3

Effect of the Hydromethanolic Extract of Maytenus gracilipes on Percentage Suppression and Survival Time of Mice Infected with P. berghei in the Rane's Test. Results are articulated as mean ± SEM; n = 6; a = compared to NC; b = to 25 mg/kg CQ; c = to 200 mg/kg; d = to 400 mg/kg; e = to 600 mg/kg; ¹p < 0.05, ²p < 0.01, ³p < 0.001; NC = negative control (distilled water), MG = crude extract of Maytenus gracilipes, and CQ = chloroquine.

Figure 4

Effect of Maytenus gracilipes on Packed Cell Volume of Mice Infected with P. berghei in the Rane's Assessment Model. Results are articulated as mean ± SEM; n = 6; a = compared to NC; b = to 25 mg/kg CQ; d = to 400 mg/kg; e = to 600 mg/kg; ¹p < 0.05, ²p < 0.01, ³p < 0.001; NC = negative control (distilled water), MG = crude extract of Maytenus gracilipes, and CQ = chloroquine, D3 = pre-treatment value on day 3, D7 = post-treatment value on day 7.