Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Bernard Egwu Igiri ^{1, 2}
• Mohammad Hassan Isa Doko ³
• Helen Ileigo Inabo ³
• Emmanuel Oluwadare Balogun ⁴

¹ Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Microbiology, Zaria Faculty of Life Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria

² Ekureku, Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology Extension Centre, Nigeria

³ Department of Microbiology, Zaria Faculty of Life Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria

⁴ Department of Biochemistry, Zaria Faculty of Life Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: In the midst of transient conquests by medications against malaria, Plasmodium parasites are the foremost public health problem globally. The emergence of drug-resistant parasites has worsened the condition, emphasizing the need for effective and inexpensive antimalarial. In line with this necessity, the study aimed at evaluating the toxicity and antiplasmodial activity of Momordica balsamina extracts against Plasmodium berghei. Methods: Successive extraction technique via maceration was employed. Acute oral toxicity study was conducted as per the standard protocol. In vivo antiplasmodial activity of M. balsamina extracts against early infection was assessed in P. berghei-infected mice at different doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg b.w. Data was analyzed using GraphPad Prism version 8.0.2 using analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey’s post hoc test with p<0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results: The extracts of M. balsamina did not cause any significant toxicological changes and the lethal dose estimated to be greater than 5000 mg/kg. Ethyl acetate extract demonstrated highest chemosuppression (52.8%), followed by methanol extract (44.9%), and n-hexane extracts (30.3%).
Conclusion: The study ascertained the safety of M. balsamina leaf and emphasized caution regarding higher doses and studies that could advance scientific knowledge are highly encouraged. The findings demonstrated moderate suppressive antiplasmodial capacities of M. balsamina leaf extracts.

Keywords

• Antiplasmodial activity
• Toxicity
• Antimalarial activity
• Malaria
• Plasmodium berghei

Main Subjects

• Medical Toxicology