Antimalarial activity and in vivo toxicity of selected medicinal plants naturalised in Kenya

Abstract

Malaria is an epidemic disease in Kenya. With most conventional antimalarial drugs being
\ninaccessible, unaffordable, and reported resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to the currently used
\nArtemisinin combined therapy, there is need to explore alternative sources of chemotherapeutic
\nagents and plants are a potential rich source of antimalarial drugs.
\nThe study aimed to investigate the antimalarial activity and acute toxicityof four plants traditionally
\nused to treat malaria in Msambweni District, Kenya.
\nResults show that the aqueous root extract of Hoslundia opposita and the organic leaf extracts of
\nFlacourtia indica and Ocimum gratissimum suppressed parasitaemia of Plasmodium berghei in
\nmice by 90.62%, 87.84% and 88.07% respectively. None of the plant extracts exhibited toxicity on
\nmice at a dose of 2000 mg/Kg body weight.
\nThe antimalarial activity exhibited by extracts of H. opposita, F. indica and O. gratissimum against
\nP. berghei suggests that these plants may have active principles against P. falciparum.