The efficacy of methanolic root bark extract of Khaya senegalensis against <i>Plasmodium Berghei</i> in laboratory white albino mice

Abstract

The spread of chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum and the alarming emergence of multidrug-resistant strains have raised an urgent need to search for new drugs. In many tropical and sub-tropical countries, plants have traditionally been used to treat fever and other symptoms associated with malaria parasite. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of the methanolic extract of Khaya senegalensis root bark against P. berghei in white albino mice. Two parameters were employed to evaluate the efficacy of the extract against P. berghei in white albino mice. A parallel test was carried out with chloroquine. Twenty-five albino mice were used in the experiment. The albino mice were grouped into six groups. Three groups served as negative, positive, and standard control respectively, groups four, five and six were treated with 100, 150 and 200 mg/kg of the extract for suppressive and curative activity. The extract showed a strong anti plasmodial activity against P. berghei both in the two parameters. (2.0±0.0 and 2.0±1.0) corresponding to 91.7% curative and 93.3% suppressive, while the control groups three, two and one correspond to 76.7%, 00.0 and 00.0 respectively. The mean parasitemia reduction in groups four, five and six were significant (p<0.05). The results indicate that although chloroquine was still effective against the parasite, the extract of Khaya senegalensis reduced the mean parasitemia more than chloroquine which was used as standard control. This implies that the extract has stronger antimalarial activity compared to the standard chloroquine drug.