IN VIVO ANTIPLASIODIAL ACTIVITY BY AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF ABRUS PRECATORIUS IN MICE

摘要

Antimalarial activity of aqueous extract oi Abrus precatorius leaf was studied in Swiss albino mice. Thirty-six (36) mice of either sex that weighed 20 61 ± 3.63g were separated into six groups of six mice each. Five groups were intravenouslyinoculated 10^ Plasmodium berghei per gram body weight. The sixth grounp was nei-ther infected nor treated. Three days post infection, four groups were administered orally with 25, 50 and lOOmg/kg of the extract and 25mg/kg of halofantrine for five consecutive days, whereas the fifth group was not treated. The results revealedsignificant (P<0.05) clearance of P. bergheifrom the groups administered with 25, 50 and lOOmg/kg of the extract, and 25mg/kg of halofatrine respectively on 14th day of infection. The infected untreated group showed significant level of parasitaemia up till 14~(th) day of infection. There were significant (P<0.05) decreased levels of mean weight gain, mean erythrocytes count, mean packed cell volume, mean haemoglo-bin concentration, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin. However, Mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and mean white blood cells increased significantly in infected untreated group (P<0.05). Three animals died from each of the groups treated with 25 and lOOmg/kg of the extract. While one animal died from the infected untreated group and the halofantrine treated group. Hence, the extract show potential antiplasmodial activity on P. berghei, the death of animals in the experimental groups may be due to toxicity of Abrus leaf, halofantrine and P. berghei respectively.