Ethnobotanical database based screening and identification of potential plant species with antiplasmodial activity against chloroquine-sensitive (3D7) strain of Plasmodium falciparum

• Main Authors: Monica Noronha, Shivali Guleria, Dhara Jani, L B George, Hyacinth Highland, R B Subramanian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2018-01-01
• Series: Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine
• Subjects: antiplasmodial; antioxidant; plasmodium falciparum; ethnobotany
• Online Access: http://www.apjtb.org/article.asp?issn=2221-1691;year=2018;volume=8;issue=2;spage=92;epage=97;aulast=Noronha

Objective: To evaluate the antiplasmodial activity of aqueous-methanolic plant extracts of nine plant species selected, based on ethnobotanical data. Methods: Based on ethnobotanical database, the selected plants were tested for their antiplasmodial activity against chloroquine-sensitive (3D7) strain of Plasmodium falciparum. Qualitative tests and high performance thin layer chromatography analysis were carried out to explore the phytocomponents present in the plant extracts. 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl antioxidant activity was also determined to check the antioxidant activity of the plant extracts. Results: Moringa oleifera (IC50: 3.906 μg/mL), Acalypha indica (IC50: 3.906 μg/mL), Hyptis suaveolens (IC50: 3.906 μg/mL), Mangifera indica (IC50: 4.150 μg/mL) and Averrhoa bilimbi (IC50: 4.881 μg/mL) showed very good antiplasmodial activity. Conclusions: Crude extracts of Mangifera indica and Hyptis suaveolens demonstrated the most efficacious antimalarial activity. A bioassay-guided fractionation of these extracts to identify the lead compound is proved to be useful. The results validate the traditional use of the selected plants as antimalarials.