The in-vivo antimalarial activities of Uvaria chamae and Hippocratea africana

Abstract

The antimalarial activities of ethanolic root extracts of two plants used traditionally as malarial remedies in southern Nigeria, Uvaria chamae (Annonaceae) and Hippocratea africana (Hippocrateaceae), were studied in vivo, in mice infected with Plasmodium berghei berghei. The extract of U. chamae, when given orally at 300–900 mg/kg.day, exhibited significant antimalarial activity against both early and established infections. When established infections were treated, the mean survival time of the mice observed with this extract at 900 mg/kg.day was similar to that seen with the positive control: chloroquine at 5 mg/kg.day. The extract of H. africana, tested at oral doses of 200–600 mg/kg.day, also demonstrated promising blood schizontocidal activity, both in early and established infections. Although the question of their toxicities has still to be fully addressed, it is clear that both U. chamae and H. africana possess considerable antimalarial activity and they, or drugs based on their antimalarial constituents, may prove useful in the treatment of human malaria.