ANTIMALARIAL ACTIVITY OF FRACTIONS OF PICRALIMA NITIDA LEAVES (APOCYNACEAE) IN ANIMAL MODELS OF ANTIMALARIAL RESISTANCE

*Azikiwe C. C. A., Anowi C. F., Ewuim C. C. and Ifezulike C. C.

ABSTRACT

Background: Malaria is an endemic tropical disease that accounts for several millions annual death especially, in children. Malarial drug resistance can be defined as the ability of a parasite strain to survive and, or to multiply despite the administration and absorption of drugs given in doses equal to or higher than those usually recommended. Antimalarial resistance is becoming dangerously alarming thus the need for new drug search. Picralima nitida is a tropical shrub used in folklore medicine for treatment of several ailments including malaria. Aim of the present work is to evaluate antimalarial activity of Picralima nitida in animal model of malarial drug resistance. Material and method: Materials consisted of Laboratory glassware and equipment, phytochemical reagents and appropriate malaria parasite stains, portable drinking water, animal feeds and chloroquine-resistant plasmodium bergie samples. Picralima nitida leaves were harvested and Taxonomy was done. The leaves were air-dried at room temperature for 14days, ground, macerated in methanol and further fractionated in aqueous, n-butanol, n-hezane and ethyl acetate. Crude and all fractions were evaporated to dryness, yields collected and stored till needed. 50 mice were procured, acclimatized, grouped into 9 (1-9) of 5animals each. Two mice were infected with malaria parasites and acted as donors. All animals in 1-9 were pre-infected with donor’s blood intraperitoneally while group 1 acted as negative control. After 3days of established parasitaemia, animals in 2-9 were given the appropriate daily dose of the appropriate ACT or extract/fractions of Picralima nitida for 72hours. Percentage parasitaemia were evaluated and statistically extrapolated. P-values less than 0.05 were adjudged significant. Results: LD50 was taken as 770mg/ip. Phytochemistry revealed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, glycosides, alkaloids, proteins and carbohydrates. Extract/fractions exhibited statistically antimalarial activity (p<0.002, P<0.001) and were comparative to ACT. The fractions had superior activity over the aqueous. ACT and fractions of Picralima nitida antimalarial activities were statistically insignificant (p>0.067). Conclusion: The leaves of Pricralima posses antimalarial activity that is statistically insignificant to that of ACT that is currently the main stay in malaria chemotherapy. We recommend further characterization and clinical trial in human subjects.

Keywords: Picralima nitida; Malaria; Antimalarial activity, ACT. Drug resistance.