Antiplasmodial Potential and Phytochemical Screening of Ten Plants Used as Antimalarial in Mali

Abstract

Aim: This study was designed to determine in vitro antiplasmodial activities of extracts from ten Malian medicinal plants against P. falciparum strains. Place and Duration of Study: Collection of plant materials and basic phytochemical screening were done in Bamako, Mali and antiplasmodial activity assessment at Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, United States of America between September 2013 and February 2014. Methods: We collected leaves from ten commonly used medicinal plants and prepared ethanol and aqueous extracts. Antiplasmodial activities were evaluated against the chloroquine-sensitive 3D7 P. falciparum and chloroquine-resistant Dd2 P. falciparum strains, using the fluorescence-based SYBR® green I method. The interactions involving the differential extracts were further analyzed using a variable potency ratio drug combination approach. Chemical screening allowed us to identify the major secondary metabolites from those extract that were active against the parasite. Results: Plant extracts showed a range of antiplasmodial activity. The ethanol extracts of Annona senegalensis, Bauhinia thonningii, Maytenus senegalensis, and Fluenggea virosa showed moderate antiplasmodial activity against 3D7 P. falciparum (17.81±3.43≤IC50 ≤ 37.64±0.83 µg/mL) and against Dd2 P. falciparum strains (19.58±3.43≤ IC50 ≤ 67.55±.1.76 µg/mL). Among aqueous extracts only extract from Bauhinia thonningii demonstrated moderate antiplasmodial activity against both strains. The results showed that the active extracts contained a group of alcaloids, flavonoids, sterols, saponosides, tannins, coumarins and triterpenoids Conclusion: Bauhinia thonningii, Maytenus senegalensis, Annona senegalensis and Fluenggea virosa possess antiplasmodial activity. These data confirm their use in traditional malaria therapy in Mali and provide evidence for further study for antimalarial drug discovery.