Prophylactic effect of multi-herbal extract 'Agbo-Iba' on malaria induced in mice

Piperine Enhances the Antimalarial Activity of Curcumin in Plasmodium berghei ANKA-Infected Mice: A Novel Approach for Malaria Prophylaxis

Malaria is a prevalent vector-borne infectious disease in tropical regions, particularly in the absence of effective vaccines and because of the emergence resistance of Plasmodium to available antimalarial drugs. An alternative strategy for malaria eradication could be the combination of existing compounds that possess antimalarial activity to target multiple stages of the parasite. This study evaluated the antimalarial activity of a combination of curcumin and piperine in mice. A total of 42 mice were assigned to six groups depending on the treatment administered: group I (normal group) with aquadest; group II (negative control) with 0.2 ml DMSO; group III received a standard malarial drug (artesunate 5 mg/kg BW); groups IV, V, and VI with curcumin 300 mg/kg BW, curcumin 300 mg/kg BW and piperine 20 mg/kg BW, and piperine 20 mg/kg BW, respectively. The antimalarial activity was evaluated using prophylactic assays in Plasmodium berghei ANKA-infected mice, including the percentage parasitemia, clinical signs, survival rate, serum biochemical analysis, parasitic load in the liver, and liver histopathology. All treatments showed significant (p < 0.05) antiplasmodial activity, with considerable parasite inhibition (>50%), curcumin 300 mg/kg BW (60.22%), curcumin 300 mg/kg BW, and piperine 20 mg/kg BW (77.94%) except for piperine 20 mg/kg BW (47.20%), eliciting greater inhibition relative to that of artesunate (51.18%). The delayed onset of clinical symptoms and prolonged survival rate were also significant (p < 0.05) in the combination of curcumin and piperine treated group. In addition, the low parasitic load in the liver and mild histopathological changes in the liver suggest that the combination of curcumin and piperine had synergistic or additive effects. These findings demonstrate the promising use of these combined compounds as a malarial prophylactic. Further studies were recommended to assess their clinical usefulness.

In vivo antiplasmodial activities and acute toxicity assessment of two plant cocktail extracts commonly used among Southwestern Nigerians

Discovering and developing the desired antimalarials continue to be a necessity especially due to treatment failures, drug resistance, limited availability and affordability of antimalarial drugs and costs especially in poor malarial endemic countries. This study investigated the efficacies of two plant cocktails; CtA and CtB, selected based on their traditional usage. Efficacies of the cocktail extracts, chloroquine and pyrimethamine against Plasmodium berghei berghei were evaluated in mice using the suppressive, curative and prophylactic test models, after oral and intraperitoneal acute toxicity determination of the plant cocktails in accordance with Lorke's method. Data was analyzed using SPSS software version 23.0 with level of significance set at P < 0.05. The median lethal dose was determined to be higher than 5000 mg/kg body weight orally for both CtA and CtB; and 316.23 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneally for CtA. Each cocktail exhibited high dose dependent Plasmodium berghei berghei inhibition which was 96.95% and 99.13% in the CtA800 mg/kg and CtB800 mg/kg doses in the curative groups respectively, 96.46% and 78.62% for CtA800mg/kg and CtB800mg/kg doses in the suppressive groups respectively, as well as 65.05% and 88.80% for CtA800mg/kg and CtB800mg/kg doses in the prophylactic groups respectively. Throughout the observation periods, the standard drugs, chloroquine phosphate and pyrimethamine maintained higher inhibitions up to 100%. These findings demonstrate that CtA and CtB possess good antimalarial abilities and calls for their development and standardization as effective and readily available antimalarial options. The acute toxicity results obtained underscore the importance of obtaining information on toxicities of medicinal plant remedies before their administration in both humans and animals.

Glycation of Liver Cystatin: Implication on its Structure and Function

The increased level of reducing sugars and their derivatives in a diabetic condition has been the main cause of protein related complications. The changes in native state of proteins upon glycation induce loss in the function and structure of proteins. This further leads to cell damage and accumulation of immune system inducing AGE formation. Here in the present study cystatin was purified from liver (BLC) through affinity chromatography and was incubated with glucose, fructose and ribose. Changes were observed in the intensity of Trp absorption at 280 nm as well as AGE's specific fluorescence at 435 nm upon excitation at 370 nm to monitor the formation of BLC-sugar adducts. Protein intrinsic fluorescence showed marked conformational changes when BLC was incubated with D-ribose, glucose and fructose. Glycation with D-ribose induces BLC to misfold rapidly into an intermediate state retaining a low percentage of α-helical content compared to fructose and glucose as revealed by far-UV CD data. Furthermore, a caseinolytic assay of papain in presence of glycated liver cystatin showed decreased activity in the protein induced by these reducing sugars. Ribose had more effect on the structure as well as the function of liver cystatin followed by fructose and least for glucose. Absorption spectroscopy shows change in BLC and formation of AGE's. These results shows that liver cystatin-cathepsin imbalance is compromised in diabetic state which may lead to improper balance of proteinases leading to cirrhosis or liver damage.

In vivo antioxidant assessment of two antimalarial plants-Allamamda cathartica and Bixa orellana

OBJECTIVE

To determine the free radical scavenging potentials pytochemical constituents of ethanol leaves extracts of Allamanda cathartica (A. cathartica) and Bixa orellana (B. orellana) and thus their effects in antimalarial activities.

METHODS

Both ethanol extracted plant samples were administered at 50 mg/mL, 100 mg/mL and 200 mg/mL to Albino rats and then administered with CCl4 at 1 mL/kg body weight, in liquid paraffin (1:1, v/v) for 2 days (negative control) and compared with 5% Tween 80 (placebo) and vitamin E (positive control) pretreatments. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), glutathione (GSH) and catalase (CAT) activities in blood and liver tissues were assessed.

RESULTS

In CCl4 treated rats, TBARS levels significantly increased, while decreased GSH and CAT levels were recorded for both plant extracts. Generally, higher TBARS and GSH values were recorded for blood than for liver homogenates; with reverse trend observed for CAT level. Increased concentrations of A. cathartica extract recorded significant antioxidant levels similar to tocopherol (vitamin E). Reducing sugars, saponins, flavonoids were recorded for both species; alkaloids in A. cathartica and terpenoids in B. orellana.

CONCLUSIONS

A. cathartica, possess phytochemicals that recorded significant antioxidative defense activities for blood and liver tissues with increasing concentration. However B. orellana did not record similar results.

Ethnobotanical survey of malaria prophylactic remedies in Odisha, India

AIM OF THE STUDY

To investigate the plants traditionally used for prevention of malaria in Cuttack, Gajapati and Koraput districts of Odisha state, eastern India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An ethnobotanical survey was carried out among 20 traditional healers who were sampled based on recommendations of local elders and local non-government organizations. Data were collected through semi-structured interview.

RESULTS

The study revealed the use of 16 traditional plant species belonging to 12 families for prevention of malaria. Andrographis paniculata, Azadirachta indica, Nyctanthes arbor-tristis, Ocimum sanctum, Piper nigrum, Zingiber officinale were the most commonly reported plants for their malaria prophylactic use by the healers of three districts of Odisha. Most of the remedies were used in decoction form.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings of this study provide a lead to explore traditional plants for malaria preventive potential through further pre-clinical and clinical studies.

Prevalence of Malaria and Anemia among Pregnant Women Attending a Traditional Birth Home in Benin City, Nigeria

OBJECTIVES

To determine the prevalence of malaria and anemia among pregnant women attending a traditional birth center as well as the effect of herbal remedies, gravidity, age, educational background and malaria prevention methods on their prevalence.

METHODS

Blood specimens were collected from 119 pregnant women attending a Traditional Birth Home in Benin City, Nigeria. Malaria parasitemia was diagnosed by microscopy while anemia was defined as hemoglobin concentration <11 g/dL.

RESULTS

The prevalence of malaria infection was (OR=4.35 95% CI=1.213, 15.600; p=0.016) higher among primigravidae (92.1%). Pregnant women (38.5%) with tertiary level of education had significantly lower prevalence of malaria infection (p=0.002). Malaria significantly affected the prevalence of anemia (p<0.05). Anemia was associated with consumption of herbal remedies (OR=2.973; 95% CI=1.206, 7.330; p=0.017). The prevalence of malaria parasitemia and anemia were not affected by malaria prevention methods used by the participants.

CONCLUSION

The overall prevalence of malaria infection and anemia observed in this study were 78.9% and 46.2%, respectively. Higher prevalence of malaria infection was associated with primigravidae and lower prevalence with tertiary education of subjects. Anemia was associated with consumption of herbal remedies. There is urgent need to control the prevalence of malaria and anemia among pregnant women attending traditional birth homes.

Potential antimalarials from Nigerian plants: a review

Malaria, caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium, is one of the leading infectious diseases in many tropical regions, including Nigeria, a West African country where transmission occurs all year round. Many of the inhabitants use plants as remedies against fever and other symptoms of acute malaria, as reported herein. Some of these plants have their antimalarial efficacies scientifically demonstrated and the active compounds isolated with their probable mechanisms of action studied. Medicinal plants are used to treat diseases also where the biodiversity of plants occur in parallel with endemic transmission of malaria. This review focuses on medicinal plants which are used to treat malaria in Nigeria, and on antimalarial testing of extracts and purified compounds from plants. Some show intense activity against malaria parasites in vitro and in experimentally infected mice. The search for new drugs based on plants is important due to the emergence and widespread of chloroquine-resistant and multiple drug-resistant malaria parasites, which require the development of new antimalarials. An acquaintance with antimalarial plants may be a springboard for new phytotherapies that could be affordable to treat malaria, especially among the less privileged native people living in endemic areas of the tropics, mostly at risk of this devastating disease.