Exploring the efficacy of Calotropis procera methanol leaf extract with standard antimalarial drugs in the murine malaria model
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26538/tjdr/v2i6.2Keywords:
Antimalarial, Calotropis procera, Plasmodium berghei, Chloroquine, Artesunate, PyrimethamineAbstract
Purpose: The emergence and proliferation of drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum has critically compromised the efficacy of traditional antimalarial treatments significantly challenging global control efforts. There is a growing scientific focus on exploring plant-based therapies as complementary or alternative options for antimalarial treatment. This investigation sought to examine the antimalarial effect of Calotropis procera methanol leaf extract (MLCP) alone and in combination with standard antimalarial drugs in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice.
Methods: Standard protocols were followed for oral acute toxicity evaluation and phytochemical tests of MLCP. Curative and prophylactic effects of MLCP individually and in combination with chloroquine (CQ), artesunate (ART), and pyrimethamine (PYR), were evaluated using recognized experimental techniques in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice.
Results: MLCP at 200 and 400 mg/kg doses produced a marked decrease (p < 0.05) in parasitemia levels in both tests. In the curative study, the combination of MLCP + CQ (200/10 mg/kg) and MLCP + ART (200/5 mg/kg) considerably (p < 0.05) reduced parasitemia levels. The percentage of chemosuppression produced by MLCP + CQ (86.9 %) was better than CQ alone (47.2 %). However, the MLCP + ART combination and ART alone produced similar parasite suppressive effects with percentage chemosuppression of 73.6 % and 74.7 %, respectively. In the prophylactic test, the MLCP + PYR (200/1.2 mg/kg) combination produced a chemosuppression of 78.7 % compared to PYR alone which produced a chemosuppression of 78.0 %.
Conclusion: The findings show that combining Calotropis procera leaves with standard antimalarial chloroquine enhanced antimalarial efficacy against Plasmodium berghei infection in mice.
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