Abstract:
The aim of the study was to determine the in vivo anti-plasmodial activity of three plants Rhamnus
prinoides, Rubus keniensis and Garcinia buchananii which are used for malaria treatment by
indigenous communities in Kenya. This work was done at the Department of Biological and
Preclinical studies, Institute of Traditional Medicine, Muhimbili University of Health & Allied
Sciences in October 2016 to August 2017. Male and female albino mice were infected with
Plasmodium berghei (ANKA) in the Peter’s four day suppression test. Five groups of mice; Group
1 (solvent: 5 mL/kg body weight of 1% carboxymethyl cellulose), Group 5 (10 mg/kg body weight
chloroquine), Groups 2, 3 and 4 were given 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight of plant extracts.
The results showed that 5% aqueous methanol extracts of R. prinoides, G. buchananii and R.
keniensis exhibited higher anti-plasmodial activity than the 1:1 dichloromethane: methanol extracts
in the preliminary testing. The doses showing 50% parasite suppression (EC50) were 139.2, 169.4
and 245.1 mg/kg body weight for R. prinoides, G. buchananii and R. keniensis, respectively. In vivo
anti-plasmodial activity of the three plants has supported the traditional use of extracts of Rhamnus
prinoides, Rubus keniensis and Garcinia buchananii for treatment of malaria. Isolation of
compounds from these plants is in progress.
