<i>In vivo</i> Anti-plasmodial Activity of ethanolic leaf extract of <i>Terminalia catappa</i> (Tropical almond) in mice infected with <i>Plasmodium berghei berghei</i>

Abstract

Terminalia catappa (Tropical almond) is used traditionally in the management of fever, cough, wounds and various ulceration. Oral acute toxicity of the ethanolic leaf extract of Terminalia catappa was evaluated in mice using modified Lorke's method. The ethanolic leaf extract was evaluated for in vivo anti-plasmodial activity against chloroquine sensitive strain of Plasmodium berghei berghei NK65 in mice. Four days suppressive, curative effect against established infection and prophylactic models of anti plasmodial studies were carried out. The oral median lethal dose was determined to be > 500 mg/kg body weigh. The extract (100, 2000 and 400 mg/kg) exerted dose dependent chemo suppressive effects at the different levels of the infections tested. However, the anti-plasmodial effect of chloroquine at 5mg/kg body weight was higher than the extract in all the test models. This showed that the plant has anti plasmodial property that can be explored for the management of malaria.

Keywords: Terminalia catappa, anti plasmodial, mice, plasmodium berghei berghei Nk65.

Nigerian Journal of Parasitology, Vol. 32 [2] September 2011, pp. 257-263