Iwuanyanwu T.C., Akuodor G.C., Essien A.D., Nwinyi F.C., Akpan J.L., Okorafor D.O., Osunkwo U.A.
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), P.M.B 21 Garki, Abuja, Nigeria; Department of Pharmacology, College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Abakaliki, Nigeria; Departme
Iwuanyanwu, T.C., Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), P.M.B 21 Garki, Abuja, Nigeria; Akuodor, G.C., Department of Pharmacology, College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Abakaliki, Nigeria; Essien, A.D., Department of Pharmacology, College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Abakaliki, Nigeria; Nwinyi, F.C., Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria; Akpan, J.L., Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Clinical Medicine, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria; Okorafor, D.O., Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Abakaliki, Nigeria; Osunkwo, U.A., Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), P.M.B 21 Garki, Abuja, Nigeria
The treatment of malaria in Africa is becoming increasingly difficult due to rising prevalence of plasmodium falciparum resistant to antimalarial drugs. This study was undertaken to investigate the in vivo antiplasmodial effect of the aqueous stem bark extract of Bombax buonopozense in mice infected with chloroquinesensitive plasmodium berghei NK65. The in vivo antiplasmodial effect against early infection and curative effect against established infection were studied. The extract at all doses (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o.) used, exhibited significant (P<0.05), dose-dependent activity against the parasite in suppressive and curative tests. These results show that the stem bark extract of Bombax buonopozense plant has significant antiplasmodial effect. The reduction in parasitemia levels in the two employed models suggest that a part of its antimalarial activity is mediated by direct plasmocidal effect on the parasite.
