In vivo antiplasmodial and toxicological effect of Maytenus senegalensis traditionally used in the treatment of malaria in Tanzania

• Published in: Malaria journal 2015-02, Vol.14 (1), p.79-79, Article 79
• Main Authors: Malebo, Hamisi M, Wiketye, Victor, Katani, Shaaban J, Kitufe, Nteghenjwa A, Nyigo, Vitus A, Imeda, Calister P, Ogondiek, John W, Sunguruma, Richard, Mhame, Paulo P, Massaga, Julius J, Mammuya, Bertha, Senkoro, Kesheni P, Rumisha, Susan F, Malecela, Mwelecele N, Kitua, Andrew Y
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Animals; Antimalarials - pharmacology; Body weight; Drug therapy; Female; Health aspects; Lethal Dose 50; Malaria; Malaria - drug therapy; Malaria - parasitology; Male; Maytenus - chemistry; Medicinal plants; Medicine, Botanic; Medicine, Herbal; Mice; Parasitemia - drug therapy; Parasitemia - parasitology; Plant Bark - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Roots - chemistry; Plants, Medicinal - chemistry; Plasmodium berghei - drug effects; Tanzania
• ISSN: 1475-2875; 1475-2875
• DOI: 10.1186/s12936-014-0525-y

In Tanzania and elsewhere, medicinal plants, including Maytenus senegalensis, are still widely used in the treatment of malaria and other ailments. The aim of the present study was to investigate the in vivo antiplasmodial and toxic effects in mice. Oral antiplasmodial and acute toxicity of the ethanolic root extract of M. senegalensis was evaluated in mice. The Peters 4-day in vivo antiplasmodial effect against early rodent malaria infection in chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium berghei NK 65 strain in mice. The M. senegalensis extract was found non-toxic and the oral median lethal dose in mice was determined to be greater than 1,600 mg/kg body weight. The findings revealed a significant (P = 0.001) daily increase in the level of parasitaemia in the parasitized untreated groups and a significant (P  100 mg/kg > 75 mg/kg > 50 mg/kg > 25 mg/kg body weight of M. senegalensis extract. The implications of these findings is that M. senegalensis ethanolic root bark extract possess potent antiplasmodial effect and may, therefore, serve as potential sources of safe, effective and affordable anti-malarial drugs. The displayed high in vivo antiplasmodial activity and lack of toxic effect render M. senegalensis a candidate for the bioassay-guided isolation of compounds which could develop into new lead structures and candidates for drug development programmes against human malaria.