<it>In vitro </it>antiplasmodial activity of crude extracts of <it>Tetrapleura tetraptera </it>and <it>Copaifera religiosa</it>

• Main Authors: Lekana-Douki Jean, Oyegue Liabagui Sandrine, Bongui Jean, Zatra Rafika, Lebibi Jacques, Toure-Ndouo Fousseyni S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2011-11-01
• Series: BMC Research Notes
• Subjects: Plant extracts; Fabaceae, antiplasmodial activity; cytotoxicity; <it>Plasmodium falciparum</it>
• Online Access: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1756-0500/4/506

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Malaria remains a major public health problem, especially in tropical and subtropical regions because of the emergence and widespread of antimalarial drug resistance. Traditional medicine represents one potential source of new treatments. Here, we investigated the <it>in vitro </it>antiplasmodial activity of bark extracts from two <it>Fabaceae </it>species <it>(Tetrapleura tertaptera and Copaifera religiosa</it>) traditionally used to treat malaria symptoms in Haut-Ogooué province, Gabon.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>The antiplasmodial activity of dichloromethane and methanolic extracts was tested on <it>P. falciparum </it>strains FCB (chloroquine-resistant) and 3D7 (chloroquine-sensitive) and on fresh clinical isolates, using the DELI method. Host cell toxicity was analyzed on MRC-5 human diploid embryonic lung cells using the MTT test.</p> <p>The dichloromethane extracts of the two plants had interesting activity (IC₅₀between 8.5 ± 4.7 and 13.4 ± 3.6 μg/ml). The methanolic extract of <it>Tetrapleura tetraptera </it>was less active (IC₅₀around 30 μg/ml) and the methanolic extract of <it>Copaifera religiosa </it>was inactive. The selectivity index (toxicity/antiplasmodial activity) of the dichloromethane extract of <it>Tetrapleura tetraptera </it>was high (around 7), while the dichloromethane extract of <it>Copaifera religiosa </it>had the lowest selectivity (0.6). The mean IC₅₀values for field isolates were less than 1.5 μg/ml for dichloromethane extracts of both plants, while methanolic extracts of <it>Tetrapleura tetraptera </it>showed interesting activity (IC₅₀= 13.1 μg/ml). The methanolic extract of <it>Copaifera religiosa </it>was also inactive on field isolates.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Dichloromethane extracts of <it>Tetrapleura tetraptera </it>and <it>Copaifera religiosa</it>, two plants used to treat malaria in Gabon, had interesting antiplasmodial activity <it>in vitro</it>. These data provide a scientific rationale for the traditional use of these plants against malaria symptoms. Bioactivity-guided phytochemical analyses are underway to identify the active compounds.</p>