Antimalarial activity of <i>Bambusa vulgaris</i> on <i>Plasmodium berghei berghei</i> in mice

Abstract

Medicinal plants have always been used in the treatment of malaria. Most modern drugs have been isolated from plant-based sources and continue to play an essential role in healthcare. Malaria remains a disease of global concern with set goals towards the production of viable vaccines. This study was designed to investigate the antimalarial activity of ethanolic leaf extract of Bambusa vulgaris on Plasmodium berghei berghei in mice. Lethal dose of ethanolic extract of B. vulgaris on mice was ascertained to be 2000mg/kg body weight. Ethanolic leaf extract of B. vulgaris was prepared from B. vulgaris leaves and administered orally to a total of 30 P. berghei infected mice divided into 5 groups. Lethal dose of ethanolic extract of B. vulgaris on mice was ascertained to be 2000mg/kg body weight. The leaf extract of B. vulgaris significantly reduced the parasitaemia in the erythrocytes of P. berghei infected mice (P≥ 0.05). It was also found that higher doses of the extract (500mg/kg body weight) exhibited higher anti-malarial activity than the lower doses (100mg/kg and 250mg/kg body weight). These results show that the ethanolic leaf extract of B. vulgaris possesses significant anti-malarial activity thus rationalizing its traditional use in malaria therapy.