Antimalarial, antiplasmodial and analgesic activities of root extract of Alchornea laxiflora

Figures & data

Table 1. Suppressive activities of root extract of Alchornea laxiflora (four-day test).

Drug/extract	Dose (mg/kg)	Parasitaemia	% chemosuppression	Mean survival time (days)
Distilled water	10 ml/kg	35.75 ± 3.06	–	12.75 ± 0.47
Extract	75	26.50 ± 1.50^b	25.87	17.25 ± 0.75^b
	150	24.50 ± 2.17^b	31.46	17.72 ± 0.85^b
	225	20.00 ± 3.74^a	44.05	18.25 ± 1.03^b
Dichloromethane	150	12.25 ± 2.20^c	65.73	18.00 ± 0.40^b
Ethyl acetate	150	14.25 ± 1.10^b	60.13	17.25 ± 0.47^b
n-Butanol	150	19.50 ± 2.63^a	45.45	18.75 ± 0.62^b
Chloroquine	5	9.25 ± 3.06^c	74.12	24.25 ± 1.25^c

Values are expressed as mean ± SEM.

Significance relative to control:

a p < 0.05;

b p < 0.01;

c p < 0.001, n = 6.

Table 2. Repository/prophylactic activity of ethanol root extract of Alchornea laxiflora on Plasmodium berghei infection in mice.

Drug/extract	Dose (mg/kg)	Parasitaemia	% chemosuppression	Mean survival time (days)
Distilled water	10 ml/kg	27.00 ± 4.93	–	10.50 ± 0.50
Extract	75	20.0 ± 1.68^a	25.92	16.35 ± 0.86^a
	150	18.21 ± 0.81^c	32.55	17.45 ± 0.75^a
	225	15.50 ± 2.90^c	42.59	18.50 ± 1.25^b
Dichloromethane	150	12.00 ± 1.73	55.55	19.25 ± 1.18^c
Ethyl acetate	150	14.75 ± 3.68	45.37	17.25 ± 1.29^b
n-Butanol	150	17.00 ± 5.61	37.03	17.13 ± 1.32^b
Pyrimethamine	1.2	5.75 ± 1.93^c	78.70	25.0 ± 1.87^c

Values are expressed as mean ± SEM.

Significance relative to control:

a p < 0.05;

b p < 0.01;

c p < 0.001, n = 6.

Table 3. Antiplasmodial activity of root extract of Alchornea laxiflora (curative test).

		Percentage mean reduction in parasitaemia per day
Drug/extract	Dose (mg/kg)	3	4	5	7	% chemosuppression	Mean survivaltime (days)
Distilled water	10 ml/kg	31.50 ± 1.50	38.50 ± 1.12	43.25 ± 4.06	44.0 ± 2.61	–	13.00 ± 0.40
Extract	75	28.25 ± 2.83	31.50 ± 3.57	24.00 ± 5.80^a	22.0 ± 2.85^c	50.0	17.25 ± 1.04^a
	150	33.00 ± 10.79	31.25 ± 1.98^b	22.00 ± 6.40^c	19.75 ± 4.15^b	55.11	18.25 ± 0.85^b
	225	27.50 ± 1.65	30.25 ± 1.29^c	20.25 ± 2.98^c	10.33 ± 2.52^c	77.27	19.00 ± 0.57^b
Dichloromethane	150	25.75 ± 7.14	28.0 ± 4.13	23.00 ± 2.49	11.25 ± 1.97^c	74.43	19.25 ± 0.47^b
Ethyl acetate	150	32.50 ± 6.66	32.75 ± 9.70	24.75 ± 5.66	14.25 ± 5.92^c	67.61	18.75 ± 0.47^b
n-Butanol	150	35.0 ± 2.83	32.75 ± 4.40	28.25 ± 2.83	22.50 ± 1.32^c	48.86	18.00 ± 0.81^b
Chloroquine	5	22.00 ± 3.02	22.0 ± 8.60^c	19.25 ± 5.31^c	10.75 ± 0.03^c	75.56	30.00 ± 0.00^c

Values are expressed as mean ± SEM.

Significant relative to control:

a p < 0.05;

b p < 0.01;

c p < 0.001, n = 6.

Table 4. In vitro antiplasmodial activities of crude root extract and fractions of A. laxiflora.

Crude extract/fraction	IC50 (μg/ml)Pf 3D7	IC50 (μg/ml)Pf INDO	CytotoxicityHeLa cells IC50(μg/ml)
Crude extract	52.73 ± 2.26	56.71 ± 3.43	>100
Pet. ether	81.20 ± 2.34	90.24 ± 3.38	>100
Dichloromethane	72.72 ± 1.14	73.48 ± 2.35	>100
Ethyl acetate	38.44 ± 0.89	40.17 ± 0.78	>100
Butanol	>100	98.99 ± 1.53	>100
Aqueous	>100	>100	>100
Chloroquine	0.021	0.258	–
Artemisinin	0.0045	0.0045	–

Table 5. Effect of Alchornea laxiflora root extract on acetic acid induced writhing in mice.

		Time intervals (h)
Treatments	Dose (mg/kg)	5	10	15	20	25	30	Total
Control	10 ml/kg	9.25 ± 0.85	10.75 ± 0.75	14.00 ± 1.78	22.25 ± 0.85	13.50 ± 0.64	14.50 ± 2.53	84.25 ± 7.40
Extract	75	6.75 ± 0.62	12.75 ± 0.62	12.25 ± 2.09^b	17.0 ± 1.35^b	13.25 ± 2.05	10.25 ± 1.43	72.25 ± 8.16^a
	150	4.50 ± 0.64	5.25 ± 1.03^a	14.00 ± 1.68^c	15.0 ± 2.34^c	18.25 ± 2.78^a	22.25 ± 1.65^a	79.25 ± 8.45
	225	4.75 ± 0.47^c	5.00 ± 0.91^b	11.50 ± 1.55^c	20.00 ± 2.67^c	13.25 ± 1.54	15.50 ± 1.32	70.00 ± 8.46^a
Dichloromethane fraction	150	1.00 ± 0.57^c	2.50 ± 1.19^b	1.50 ± 0.95^b	4.75 ± 0.62^c	1.75 ± 0.85^c	1.25 ± 0.62^c	12.75 ± 4.80^c
Ethyl acetate fraction	150	4.00 ± 1.08^b	2.75 ± 1.25^b	3.25 ± 1.25^b	2.00 ± 1.08^c	1.50 ± 0.95^c	1.00 ± 0.70^c	15.25 ± 6.31^c
n-Butanol fraction	150	3.00 ± 0.91^c	3.00 ± 1.91^b	8.25 ± 3.27	10.50 ± 2.63^b	10.00 ± 1.41	8.00 ± 1.41	42.75 ± 11.54^c
ASA	100	2.25 ± 0.31^a	2.50 ± 0.19^b	4.75 ± 0.49^a	2.75 ± 0.10^c	1.50 ± 0.50b	0.50 ± 0.15^c	14.25 ± 1.74^c

Data are expressed as mean ± SEM.

Significant at

a p < 0.05,

b p < 0.01,

c p < 0.001 when compared to control n = 6.

Table 6. Effect of Alchornea laxiflora root extract on formalin hind paw licking in mice.

		Time intervals (h)
Treatments	Dose (mg/kg)	5	10	15	20	25	30	TOTAL
Control	10 ml/kg	23.50 ± 0.86	23.0 ± 0.70	20.50 ± 1.44	13.50 ± 0.28	14.25 ± 0.25	11.50 ± 1.50	106.25 ± 5.03
Extract	75	17.25 ± 2.17	2.75 ± 1.37^c	2.50 ± 0.28^b	2.75 ± 0.47^b	8.75 ± 1.49^b	15.50 ± 1.44	49.50 ± 7.22^c
	150	21.50 ± 1.84	1.25 ± 0.94^c	2.50 ± 0.28^c	0.25 ± 0.25^c	5.25 ± 0.47^c	12.50 ± 0.95	43.25 ± 4.73^c
	225	25.75 ± 4.07^c	1.50 ± 0.86^b	1.50 ± 0.95^c	4.00 ± 1.82^c	7.50 ± 0.86^b	13.50 ± 1.50	53.75 ± 10.06^c
Dichloromethane fraction	150	10.75 ± 1.88	2.75 ± 0.75^c	0.75 ± 0.47^c	1.25 ± 0.75^c	5.25 ± 1.03^c	10.00 ± 3.94	30.75 ± 8.82^c
Ethyl acetate fraction	150	9.25 ± 1.49^a	1.50 ± 0.95^c	0.75 ± 0.47^c	2.50 ± 1.04^c	0.25 ± 0.01^c	0.00 ± 0.00^c	14.25 ± 3.96^c
n-Butanol fraction	150	21.75 ± 2.47^c	1.75 ± 0.85^c	2.75 ± 1.79^c	7.00 ± 1.73^b	11.25 ± 3.94	17.25 ± 0.62	61.75 ± 11.40^c
ASA	100	15.75 ± 1.03^a	3.50 ± 0.64^b	2.00 ± 0.40^c	2.00 ± 0.70^c	1.50 ± 0.28^c	2.50 ± 0.28^c	27.25 ± 3.33^c

Data are expressed as mean ± SEM.

Significant at

a p < 0.05,

b p < 0.01,

c p < 0.001 when compared to control n = 6.

Table 7. Effect of Alchornea laxiflora root extract on hot plate test.

Treatments	Dose (mg/kg)	Reactiontime (s)(mean ± SEM)	% inhibition
Control	10ml/kg	11.33 ± 0.52	–
Extract	75	16.70 ± 1.18^a	47.39
	150	17.68 ± 1.27^a	56.04
	225	19.09 ± 1.05^c	68.49
Dichloromethane fraction	150	17.97 ± 0.80^b	58.60
Ethyl acetate fraction	150	18.51 ± 0.75^b	63.37
n-Butanol fraction	150	14.11 ± 0.22^c	24.53
ASA	100	23.64 ± 1.69^c	108.64

Data are expressed as mean ± SEM.

Significant at

a p < 0.05,

b p < 0.01,

c p < 0.001 when compared to control n = 6.

Table 8. GCMS profile of ethyl acetate fraction of Alchornea laxiflora root.

Peak	RT	Compound name	Formula	Mol. mass
1	6.957	Propanoic acid, 3-(trimethylsilyl)-, ethyl ester	C8H18O2Si	174
2	8.358	2-Furancarboxylic acid, trimethylsilyl ester	C8H12O3Si	184
3	11.277	Cyclopropenoic acid,1-trimethylsilyl,-2-(2-methylpropen-1-yl), methyl ester	C12H20O2Si	224
4	11.955	2H-Pyran-2-one, 5,6-dihydro-6-pentyl-	C10H16O2	168
5	12.476	1,2,4-Cyclopentanetrione, 3-butyl-	C9H12O3	168
6	14.457	Phenol, 3-[(trimethylsilyl)oxy]-	C9H14O2Si	182
7	14.918	1-Tetradecene	C14H28	196
8	15.110	Octadecane, 1-bromo-	C18H37Br	332
9	16.299	2-Butenoic acid, 2-methoxy-3-methyl-, methyl ester	C7H12O3	144
10	16.627	Benzoic acid, 3-acetyloxy-, trimethylsilyl ester	C12H16O4Si	252
11	17.605	Cyclopropanecarboxylic acid, 2,2-dimethyl-3-cis-(2-methyl-3-buten-2-yl)-	C11H18O2	182
12	18.624	2H-Pyran-2-one, tetrahydro-4-hydroxy-6-pentyl-	C10H18O3	186
13	18.905	3-{[tert-Butyl(dimethyl)silyl]oxy}butanal	C10H22O2Si	202
14	19.833	1-Hexadecene	C16H32	224
15	19.910	Dodecanoic acid, ethyl ester	C14H28O2	228
16	24.291	1-Octadecene	C18H36	252
17	24.348	Tetradecanoic acid, ethyl ester	C16H32O2	256
18	26.421	Pentadecanoic acid, ethyl ester	C17H34O2	270
19	27.137	Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester	C17H34O2	270
20	28.777	1-Heptacosanol	C27H56O	396
21	28.964	Hexadecanoic acid, ethyl ester	C18H36O2	284
22	30.511	Hexadecanoic acid, trimethylsilyl ester	C19H40O2Si	328
23	31.920	Octadecanoic acid, ethyl ester	C20H40O2	312
24	32.103	9-Octadecenoic acid (Z)-, methyl ester	C19H36O2	296
25	33.665	n-Propyl 9,12-octadecadienoate	C21H38O2	322
26	33.776	9-Octadecenoic acid (z)-, ethyl ester	C20H38O2	310
27	33.986	Octadecanoic acid	C18H36O2	284
28	34.204	Octadecanoic acid, ethyl ester	C20H40O2	312
29	34.632	trans-9-Octadecenoic acid, trimethylsilyl ester	C21H42O2Si	354
30	34.980	9,12-Octadecadienoic acid (Z, Z)-	C18H32O2	280
31	37.069	Octadecanoic acid, ethyl ester	C20H40O2	312
32	38.101	Zeranol	C18H26O5	322
33	38.927	Benzeneacetic acid, alpha-[(trimethylsilyl)oxy]-,	C14H24O3Si2	296
34	39.153	Capsaicin	C18H27NO3	305
35	39.368	Dihydrocapsaicin	C18H29NO3	307
36	39.791	2-Hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde, trimethylsilyl ether	C11H16O3Si	224
37	40.192	1,1′-Biphenyl-3,4,4′-trimethoxy-6′-formyl-	C16H16O4	272
38	40.724	11-cis-Octadecenoic acid 1tms	C21H42O2Si	354
39	41.279	Ethyl tetracosanoate	C26H52O2	396
40	41.719	Squalene	C30H50	410
41	44.151	Octadecanoic acid, ethyl ester	C20H40O2	312
42	44.362	Benzene, (2-ethyl-4-methyl-1,3-pentadienyl)-, €-	C14H18	186
43	57.636	Cholest-4-en-3-one	C27H44O	384