In Vivo Antiplasmodial Activity of Two Sahelian Plant Extracts on Plasmodium berghei ANKA Infected NMRI Mice

Up to now, the control of malaria remains a challenge. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the use of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) for uncomplicated malaria treatment. Despite this guideline, many people in Burkina Faso use herbal medicine as primary treatment against malaria. The aim of this study was to assess the in vivo activity of Guiera senegalensis J. F. Gmel and Bauhinia rufescens Lam. leaves extracts against Plasmodium berghei ANKA. A four-day treatment of leaves decoction of each plant was administrated orally to 7 groups of six NMRI (Naval Medical Research Institute) mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA strain. The control group received distilled water as treatment while the treated groups each received daily 100, 250, and 500 mg extract/kg body weight. Thin blood smears were performed on day five and the percentage of reduction of parasitaemia was determined compared to the control. The percentages of reduction of the parasitaemia at the doses of 100, 250, and 500 mg extract/kg body weight were, respectively, 57.5%, 35.9%, and 44.9% for Guiera senegalensis and 50.6%, 22.2%, and 25.7% for Bauhinia rufescens. Our findings on antiplasmodial activity of these two plants justify the traditional use by local populations against malaria. Thus, the isolation of the active compounds from these two plants is suggested for possible antimalarial candidate drugs.