In vitro antiplasmodial activity of extracts and fractions from seven medicinal plants used in the Democratic Republic of Congo

doi:10.1016/j.jep.2004.02.022

Journal of Ethnopharmacology

Volume 93, Issue 1, July 2004, Pages 27-32

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2004.02.022 Get rights and content

Abstract

The in vitro antiplasmodial activity of seven EtOH extracts and twenty fractions from the partition of the initial ethanolic extracts from seven African medicinal plants used in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) for the treatment of malaria was evaluated. The most active EtOH extracts (IC₅₀<3 μg/ml) were those from Cassia occidentalis leaves, Euphorbia hirta whole plant, Garcinia kola stem bark and Phyllanthus niruri whole plant. Their respective petroleum ether soluble fractions also exhibited an antiplasmodial activity with IC₅₀<3 μg/ml. EtOH extracts from Vernonia amygdalina leaves (5<IC₅₀<10 μg/ml), Tetracera poggei leaves (10<IC₅₀<50 μg/ml) and Morinda morindoides leaves (50<IC₅₀<100 μg/ml) were less active, but their petroleum ether fractions exhibited a pronounced antiplasmodial activity (IC₅₀<3 μg/ml). The same observation could also be made for the petroleum ether fraction from Cassia occidentalis, Euphorbia hirta, Garcinia kola and Phyllanthus niruri. Isoamyl alcohol fractions from Euphorbia hirta, Phyllanthus niruri and Vernonia amygdalina showed IC₅₀ values less than 3 μg/ml, and from Cassia occidentalis, Garcinia kola, Morinda morindoides and Tetracera poggei between 10 and 50 μg/ml. The observed antiplasmodial activity may be related to the presence of terpenes, steroids, coumarins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, lignans, xanthones and anthraquinones.

Introduction

Human malaria is one of the most important health problems in tropical and subtropical regions. The widespread resistance of Plasmodium falciparum against classical antimalarial drugs through the tropics (Olliaro and Yuthavong, 1999) has led to a search of new drugs with new modes of action. The search for new remedies from medicinal plant species used for the treatment of malaria depends on the accurate and specific ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological information obtained from local healers.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a research programme was initiated for the evaluation of the antiamoebic (Tona et al., 1999a) and antiplasmodial activity (Tona et al., 1999b) of medicinal plant species used for the treatment of amoebiasis and malaria in Congolese traditional medicine. The present study deals with the partition of the total EtOH extracts from some plant species which have shown an interesting antimalarial activity in our previous investigation, that is, Cassia occidentalis, Euphorbia hirta, Garcinia kola, Morinda morindoides, Phyllanthus niruri, Tetracera poggei and Vernonia amygdalina, with the aim to locate active fractions.

Section snippets

Experimental section

TLC was carried out on Silica gel 60 F₂₅₄ Merck (layer thickness 0.25 mm). Betunilic acid, ellagic acid and lupeol were obtained from Sigma Chemical Co. (St. Louis, MO, USA). Quercetin was obtained from Carl Roth GmbH, Germany. 1,8-Dihydroxyanthraquinone was isolated from Morinda morindoides leaves. All chemicals were of highest purity.

Plant materials

All plants (Table 1) were collected in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) in August 1997. They were identified by Mr. N. Nlandu of the Institut

Results and discussion

The results from the in vitro antiplasmodial testing of 7 EtOH extracts and 20 fractions from the partition of their respective initial EtOH extracts are presented in Table 2. With regard to the ethanolic extract A, a high antiplasmodial activity (IC₅₀<3 μg/ml) was observed for Cassia occidentalis leaves, Euphorbia hirta, Garcinia kola and Phyllanthus niruri, whereas, Vernonia amygdalina and especially Tetracera poggei and Morinda morindoides were less active. However, the petroleum ether

Acknowledgments

This biological investigation is dedicated to the memory of Prof. Dr. P.N. Ngimbi of the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa for its enthusiasm and its active scientific contribution to our project on the evaluation of the antimalarial activity of some medicinal plants used for the treatment of malaria in Congolese traditional medicine. All technicians of this Institute are acknowledged for their technical assistance.

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In vitro antiplasmodial activity of extracts and fractions from seven medicinal plants used in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Experimental section

Plant materials

Results and discussion

Acknowledgments

Journal of Ethnopharmacology

Fitoterapia

Journal of Ethnopharmacology

Phytochemistry

Journal of Ethnopharmacology

Transaction of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Pharmacology and Therapeutics

General Pharmacology

Phytomedicine

Journal of Ethnopharmacology

Antimicrobial activity of Vernonia amygdalina leaves

Fitoterapia

Antiplasmodial triterpenes from Vernonia brasiliana

Planta Medica

Betulinic acid: isolation from Triphyophyllum peltatum and Ancistrocladus heyneanus, antimalarial activity, and crystal structure of the benzyl ester

Planta Medica

A review of the plants of the genus Phyllanthus: their chemistry, pharmacology, and therapeutic potential

Medical Research Review

In vitro anticomplementary activity of constituents from Morinda morindoides

Journal of Natural Products

Some constituents from Morinda Morindoides leaves as inhibitors of xanthine oxidase and scavenging activities

Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Communications

Complement-inhibiting iridoids from Morinda morindoides

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Evaluation in vitro and in vivo of a traditional antimalarial “Malarial 5”

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Bulletin de Médecine Traditionnelle et Pharmacopee