ANTIPLASMODIAL AND ANALGESIC ACTIVITIES OF ETHANOL STEM BARK EXTRACT OF CATUNAREGAM NILOTICA (Stapf.)
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Date
2016-11-11
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Publisher
Bayero University Kano
Abstract
Malaria, a major public health problem in the world, is responsible for death of millions
particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Today, the control of malaria has become gradually
more complex due to the spread of drug-resistant parasites. Medicinal plants are the major
source of effective antimalarials. The aim of the study was to evaluate the antiplasmodial,
analgesic and antipyretic activities of ethanol stem bark extract of Catunaregam nilotica
(ESCN). Oral acute toxicity study of ESCN was conducted using Lorke’s method while its
antiplasmodial activity was evaluated against chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium bergheiberghei in early, repository and established infection models in mice. Analgesic activity of
ESCN was evaluated in acetic acid-induced abdominal writhing and hot plate-induced pain
models in mice and formalin-induced hind-paw licking model in rats. The antipyretic
activity was evaluated using yeast-induced pyrexia model in rats. The oral LD50 was found
to be greater than 5,000 mg/kg. The extract at oral doses of 250, 500 and 1,000 mg/kg
produced significant (p<0.05) and dose-dependent decrease in level of parasitaemia in early
(suppressive), repository (prophylactic) and established (curative) infections in the mice.
All doses of ESCN significantly and dose-dependently prolonged the survival time of the
infected mice in all the three tests compared to the control. The extract produced significant
(p<0.05) and dose-dependent analgesic activity in acetic acid-induced writhing, hot plate
and formalin hind paw tests in the mice and rats. The extract produced significant (p<0.05)
reduction of rectal temperature in the extract-treated rats only at the highest dose (1,000
mg/kg) used. The C. nilotica stem bark extract is practically non-toxic acutely and
possesses significant antiplasmodial, analgesic and antipyretic activities which could
represent a lead for the development of a new antimalarial drug