In vitro antiplasmodial activity of ethanolic extracts of South Indian medicinal plants against Plasmodium falciparum

Abstract

To explore the antiplasmodial potential ofCatharanthus roseus L (C. roseus), Coccinea grandis (C. grandis), Thevetia peruviana (T. peruviana), Prosopis juliflora (P. juliflora), Acacia nilotica (A. nilotica), Azadirachta indica (A. indica) (Abr. Juss) and Morinda pubescens (M. pubescens). The C. roseus L, C. grandis, T. peruviana, P. juliflora, A. nilotica, A. indica (Abr. Juss) and M. pubescens were collected from Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu, India and the extraction was carried out in ethanol. The filter sterilized extracts (100, 50, 25, 12.5, 6.25 and 3.125 μg/mL) were tested for antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium falciparum. The phytochemical constituents in the potential extracts were also detected. Of the selected plants species, the bark extract of A. indica (Abr. Juss) showed excellent antiplasmodial activity (IC50 29.77 μg/mL) followed by leaf extract of A. indica (Abr. Juss) (IC5047.20 μg/mL) and leaf extract of C. roseus L (IC5049.63 μg/mL). The leaf, bark and flower extracts of P. juliflora showed IC50values of more than 100 μg/mL. Statistical analysis reveals significant antiplasmodial activity (P<0.01) between the concentrations and time of exposure. Additionally, no chemical injury was found in the erythrocytes incubated with the ethanolic extract of all the tested plants. The in vitro antiplasmodial activity might be due to the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, carbohydrates, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, triterpenoids, proteins and tannins in the ethanolic extracts of the tested plants. The ethanolic bark extracts of A. indica (Abr. Juss) possess lead compounds for the development of antiplasmodial drugs.