Phytochemical Analysis and In-vitro Anti Plasmodia Activity of Chrozophora Senegalensis Extracts on Plasmodium falciparum

Abstract

Chrozophora Senegalensis is traditionally employed in the treatment of malaria in Northern Nigeria. Its extracts were prepared by cold maceration with 4 solvents, n-hexane, ethylether, methanol, and aqueous. Phytochemical screening of the extracts showed the presence of tannins, alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids and phenolic in the methanol and aqueous extracts, while ethyl ether and n-hexane extracts contains terpenes, tannins and phenolics. Ethylether has flavonoids and n-hexane has traces of alkaloids. Quantitative phytochemical screening of the methanol extract indicated highest content of tannins with 3.12mg/100g, followed by alkaloids 3.10, flavonoids 2.51, phenolics 2.24, saponins 1.69 and then terpenes 1.61mg/100g. The clinical strain of Plasmodium falciparum were obtained and cultivated in-vitro for seven days, the parasite level increases consistently throughout the cultivation. The extracts were tested in vitro against cultured Plasmodium falciparum. The highest growth inhibition of the P.falciparum was demonstrated by the methanol extract with an IC₅₀ of 2.37μg/ml` followed by aqueous extract with IC₅₀ of 13.36μg/ml, ethylether 32.47μg/ml and least by n hexane 37.68μg/ml. Methanol and aqueous extracts could therefore be very good potential antimalarial if further investigated.

Key words; parasitaemia, Chrozophora Senegalensis, in-vitro cultivation, plasmodium falciparum, inhibition concentration