In-vivo Curative Efficacy of Bioactive Compounds from Alstonia boonei against Plasmodium berghei Malaria

Abstract

The escalating resistance of malaria parasites to current drugs necessitates the discovery of novel antimalarial agents. Medicinal plants used in traditional medicine, such as Alstonia boonei, represent a promising source for the discovery of new drugs. Thus, this study investigated the curative antimalarial activity of bioactive compounds isolated from A. boonei extracts. Bioactive compounds were isolated from the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of the A. boonei leaf, stem bark, and root using acid/base fractionation. The structural elucidation was achieved via GC-MS, IR, and NMR spectroscopy. The curative activity of each isolated compound was evaluated in Plasmodium berghei NK65-infected mice at doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg body weight. Parasitaemia suppression was assessed microscopically. Six compounds were identified: 1,3,5-Triazine, 2-methylamino4,6-bis(nonafluoro-tert-butyl) (leaf/aqueous);  androsta--2,4,16-triene-3,6,17- triol, tri-TMS (stem bark/aqueous); 1-Oxo-forskolin (root/aqueous); Aldosterone, N-methoxy-tri-TMS (leaf/ethanolic); Hecogenin acetate (stem bark/ethanolic) and βeta-Dithiodilactic acid (root/ethanolic). All compounds produced a significant (p < 0.05) dose-dependent suppression of parasitemia. The most efficacious compound, an Aldosterone derivative, achieved 70.94% suppression at 400 mg/kg. The significant parasitemia clearance demonstrates that these bioactive compounds from A. boonei possess potent in vivo antimalarial activity. These compounds represent promising candidates for further investigation and development into novel antimalarial therapies.