Antimalarial and Antioxidant Properties of Ethanolic Leaf Extract of Entada africana in Plasmodium berghei-Infected Mice

Abstract

Entada africana is one of the most exploited medicinal plants as an anti-inflammation, antibacterial and anti-angiogenic among others, using its various parts and mostly roots. This study was aimed at exploring the ameliorative potential of the ethanol leaf extract of Entada africana (ELEA) via in vivo antimalarial activities. Phytochemical analysis conducted for ELEA revealed the presence of flavonoids, glycosides, saponins, alkaloids, terpenes, phenols, and tannins. Healthy Swiss albino mice of male sex weighing 17-23g were used to determine the acute toxicity of the extract which was found to be 2121 mg/kg. Mice were inoculated with chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium berghei strain (NK 65) while the infected mice were then grouped into 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg b. wt.ELEA with chloroquine 5 mg/kg b. wt. as the reference drug. In the antimalarial study, rectal temperature, antioxidant, and hematological parameters were determined. The tested extracts mostly exhibited dose-dependent efficacy patterns in antimalarial, rectal temperature, blood indices, and antioxidant parameters determined. The efficacy was mostly found with 400 mg/kg b. wt. ELEA in the majority of the indices. Entada africana leaves could therefore be recommended as a source of promising molecules which could be of phenolics family for the combat with malaria parasites.