ISSN 2169-303X
International Journal of Medicinal Plant Research ISSN: 2169-303X Vol. 1 (5), pp. 050-054, October, 2012. © International Scholars Journals
Case Report
In-vivo antiplasmodial activity of crude n-hexane and ethanolic extracts of Moringa oleifera (LAM.) seeds on Plasmodium berghei
Olasehinde G. I.*, Ayanda O. I.1, Ajayi A. A.2 and Nwabueze A. P.3
Department of Biological Sciences, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria.
Received 11 September, 2012; Accepted 19 October, 2012
Abstract
Studies were carried out to determine the antiplasmodial activity of crude n-hexane and ethanolic seed extracts of Moringa oleifera using cold extraction method. Twenty-four albino mice (Mus musculus) induced intraperitoneally with chloroquine sensitive Plasmodium berghei strain were divided into 4 groups and treated at three concentrations viz: 50, 100 and 200 ml/kg. Positive control was set up with chloroquine diphosphate while negative control was set up with olive oil. The mice models were treated for 72 h. For the ethanolic extract, a parasite inhibition rate of 61% was observed at concentration 50 ml/kg, 65% at concentration 100 ml/kg and 100% at concentration 200 ml/kg in day 3 after treatment. In n-hexane extract of the seeds of M. oleifera, plasmodial inhibition rate of 61% was observed at concentration 50 ml/kg, 70% at concentration 100 ml/kg and 97% at concentration 200 ml/kg after treatment for 72 h. A 100% inhibition rate was observed for mice treated with 25 mg/kg of standard chloroquine diphosphate after day 3 of treatment while parasitaemia increased from 48 on day 0 to 86 after day 3 for mice treated with olive oil. Overall, crude ethanolic extract of M. oleifera seed showed higher parasite inhibition activity than the crude n-hexane extract.
Key words: Antiplasmodial, parasitaemia, Moringa oleifera, n-hexane, ethanolic.