In vitro and in vivo antimalarial and cytotoxic activity of five plants used in congolese traditional medicine

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology Vol. 129; no. 3; pp. 398 - 402
• Main Authors: Lusakibanza, M., Mesia, G., Tona, G., Karemere, S., Lukuka, A., Tits, M., Angenot, L., Frédérich, M.
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 16.06.2010; Amsterdam; New York: Elsevier; Elsevier; Elsevier Sequoia
• Subjects: animal pathogens; Animals; Anisopappus chinensis; antimalarials; Antimalarials - adverse effects; Antimalarials - isolation & purification; Antimalarials - pharmacology; antimicrobial properties; Antiplasmodial activity; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Culture Techniques; Cell Line; Cell Survival - drug effects; cytotoxicity; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Disease Models, Animal; dosage; Entandrophragma palustre; ethnobotany; fibroblasts; Fibroblasts - drug effects; General pharmacology; herbal medicines; human cell lines; Human fibroblast; Human health sciences; Humans; in vitro studies; Inhibitory Concentration 50; lactate dehydrogenase; malaria; Malaria - drug therapy; Malaria - microbiology; Medical sciences; medicinal plants; Medicine, African Traditional; Melia azedarach; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; microbial growth; Pharmacie, pharmacologie & toxicologie; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pharmacy, pharmacology & toxicology; Physalis angulata; plant extracts; Plant Extracts - adverse effects; Plant Extracts - isolation & purification; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plants, Medicinal - chemistry; Plasmodium berghei; Plasmodium berghei - drug effects; Plasmodium berghei - pathogenicity; Plasmodium falciparum; Plasmodium falciparum - drug effects; Sciences de la santé humaine; solvents; strain differences; Strychnos; Strychnos icaja; traditional medicine; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Physalis angulata; Strychnos icaja; Human fibroblast; Anisopappus chinensis; Melia azedarach; Entandrophragma palustre; Antiplasmodial activity; Antimalarial; Cytotoxicity; Pesticide crop; Medicinal plant; Folk medicine; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Loganiaceae; Solanaceae; Human; Pharmacognosy; Broadleaved ornamental tree; In vitro; Meliaceae; Plant origin; Parasiticide; Spermatophyta; Fibroblast
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2010.04.007

Five plants traditionally used in RDC against malaria were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. This study revealed for the first time the antimalarial activity of Anisopappus chinensis. The in vitro antiplasmodial activity and cytotoxicity of methanolic and dichloromethane extracts from five Congolese plants were evaluated. The plants were selected following an ethnobotanical survey conducted in D.R. Congo and focusing on plants used traditionally to treat malaria. The in vivo antimalarial activity of aqueous and methanolic extracts active in vitro was also determined in mice infected by Plasmodium berghei berghei. The growth inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum strains was evaluated using the measurement of lactate dehydrogenase activity. The extracts (aqueous, CH 3OH, EtOH and CH 2Cl 2) were prepared by maceration and tested in vitro against the 3D7 (chloroquine sensitive) and W2 (chloroquine resistant) strains of Plasmodium falciparum and against the human normal fetal lung fibroblasts WI-38 to determine the selectivity index. Some extracts were also used at the dose of 300 mg/kg to evaluate their activity in mice infected since 4 days by Plasmodium berghei. Two plants presented a very high activity (IC 50 < 3 μg/ml). These plants were Strychnos icaja roots bark (MeOH and CH 2Cl 2) and Physalis angulata leaves (MeOH and CH 2Cl 2). One plant ( Anisopappus chinensis whole plant, MeOH and CH 2Cl 2) presented a high activity (IC50 < 15 μg/ml). The extracts of Anisopappus chinensis and Physalis angulata showed also a good inhibition of parasitemia in vivo. Flavonoids, phenolic acids and terpenes were identified in these plants by a general phytochemical screening method. Three plants showed a very interesting antiplasmodial activity ( Anisopappus chinensis, Physalis angulata and S trychnos icaja) and one of them showed a good selectivity index (>10, Anisopappus chinensis). Anisopappus chinensis and Physalis angulata were also active in vivo.