Antiplasmodial Activity of Ethanol Extract of Vernonia amygdalina leaf in Plasmodium berghei Infected Mice: in vivo study

The antiplasmodial activity of crude ethanol extract of Vernonia amygdalina leaf in Plasmodium berghei infected mice was evaluated. A total of 20 mice were randomly distributed into five groups of four mice each. The infected mice were treated immediately after inoculation with 200, 400 and 600mg/kgbw of the extract respectively. Group 4 (Positive control) was treated with standard drug (Chloroquine, 5mg/kgbw) while the group 5 were administered normal-saline. The phytochemical constituents and acute toxicity of the plant extract were determined using standard procedure. The result showed that the extract contained alkaloid, tanin, saponin, glycoside, terpenoid, flavonoid, while the LD50 of the extract was 2236mg/kgbw. The parasite count was observed to decrease dose dependently. The % chemo-suppression was within the range of 17.15% for group 1 to 66.65% for the standard drug group. There was no significant difference (p<0.05) in the % suppression between the group administered 600mg/kgbw (58.24%) and the standard drug group. The mean survival time of mice treated with standard drug (21.33 days) was significantly (p>0.05) higher than those in other treatment groups and normal saline group (2.27 days). On the 5 day, the PCV of mice administered 600mg/kgbw (44.63±1.67 %) showed no significant (p<0.05) different compared to those in the standard drug treated group (47.92±1.75%). The ethanol leaf extract of Vernonia amygdalina exhibited antiplasmodial potential and its usage could be employed in the treatment of malaria.