In VitroAntiplasmodial Activityand Cytotoxicity of Extracts of Selected Medicinal Plants Used byTraditional Healers of WesternCameroon

摘要

Medicinal plants play a key role in malaria control in Africa, especially in remote areas where healthfacilities are limited. In order to assess their acclaimed potentials, eleven extracts were prepared fromseven selected plants commonly used in Western Cameroon, and tested both for their antiplasmodialactivity and cytotoxicity. The antiplasmodial activity was assessed using Lactate DehydrogenaseAssay (pLDH) and the cytotoxicity estimated on LLC-MK2 monkey kidney epithelial cells. Sevenextracts from five different plants were significantly active, with very weak or no cytotoxicity. TheDacryodes edulisleaves showed the highest activity (IC50of 6.45 μg/mL on 3D7 and 8.2 μg/mL onDD2) followed by the leaves ofVernonia amygdalina(IC50of 8.72 and 11.27 μg/mL on 3D7 andDD2 resp.) and roots ofV. amygdalina(IC50of 8.72 μg/mL on 3D7),Coula edulisleaves(IC50of 13.80 μg/mL and 5.79 μg/mL on 3D7 and DD2 resp.),Eucalyptus globulusleaves(IC50of 16.80 μg/mL and 26.45 μg/mL on 3D7 and DD2) andCuviera longiflorastem bark (IC50of20.24 μg/mL and 13.91 μg/mL on 3D7 and DD2). These findings justify the use of five of the sevenplants in malaria treatment by traditional healers of Western Cameroon.