In VitroandIn VivoAntimalarial Activity ofFicus thonningiiBlume (Moraceae) andLophira alataBanks (Ochnaceae), Identified from the Ethnomedicine of the Nigerian Middle Belt

摘要

Drug resistance inPlasmodium falciparumrequires that new drugs must be developed. Plants are a potential source for drug discovery and development. Two plants that used to treat febrile illnesses in Nigeria were tested forin vitroandin vivoantimalarial activity and cytotoxicity in cancer cell lines. Methanol, hexane, and ethyl acetate leaf extracts ofFicus thonningiiandLophira alatawere active inin vitroassays againstP. falciparumNF54 (sensitive) and K1 (multiresistant) strains. Hexane extracts ofF. thonningiiandL. alatawere the most effective extracts inin vitroassays with IC50of2.7±1.6 μg/mL and2.5±0.3 μg/mL for NF54 and10.4±1.6 μg/mL and2.5±2.1 μg/mL for K1 strain. All extracts were nontoxic in cytotoxicity assays against KB human cell line with IC50of over 20 μg/mL, demonstrating selectivity againstP. falciparum.In vivoanalysis shows that hexane extracts of both plants reduced parasitaemia. At the maximum dose tested,L. alatahad a 74.4% reduction of parasitaemia whileF. thonningiihad a reduction of 84.5%, both extracts prolonged animal survival in mice infected withP. bergheiNK65 when compared with vehicle treated controls. The antiplasmodial activity observed justifies the use of both plants in treating febrile conditions.