Antiplasmodial activity of Anchomanes difformis aqueous leaf extract on Plasmodium berghei infected mice

Challenges including treatment failure, parasite resistance, and adverse effects associated with antimalarial drugs have increased the use of medical plants as alternative treatment. Anchomanes difformis (A. difformis) is used traditionally for the treatment of a variety of ailments including malaria, but with a paucity of scientific evidence. This study assessed the antiplasmodial activity of A. difformis aqueous leaf extract (AEA) on Plasmodium berghei (P. berghei) infected mice. AEA (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) was orally administered to P. berghei infected mice in the curative, suppressive and prophylactic groups. The untreated parasitized control (UP) and the positive control (PC) were treated orally with normal saline (0.2 mL) and chloroquine (CQ) (10 mg/kg), respectively. After treatment, blood samples were analyzed for percentage parasitemia levels, hematological parameters and liver samples were evaluated for histology. In the curative, suppressive and prophylactic groups treatment with AEA decreased percentage parasitemia levels and prolonged mean survival time in a dose-dependent fashion with significance observed at 100 mg/kg (p 0.05), 200 mg/kg (p 0.01) and 400 mg/kg (p 0.001) when compared to UP. The antianemic effect of AEA was characterised by increased red blood cells, haemoglobin, packed cell volume and decreased white blood cells in a dose-dependent fashion with significance obsevred at 100 mg/kg (p 0.05), 200 mg/kg (p 0.01), 400 mg/kg (p 0.001) when compared UP. Reductions in liver hemozoins, parasitized red blood cells and central vein congestion occurred in a dose-dependent fashion in AEA-treated mice. The findings in this study support the traditional use of the leaves of A. difformis for the treatment of malaria.