Effect of Morinda Morindiodes Extracts on Organs of Mice Infected with Plasmodium Berghei

Abstract

Morinda morindiodes is a herb that is widely used locally in southwest Nigeria for the treatment of malaria. The histological evaluation of the effect of Morinda(M.) morindiodes plant part(s) extracts in the treatment of malaria
using mice infected with chloroquine sensitive Plasmodium (P) berghei was carried out. Healthy adult albino mice with average weight of 25g were used for the study. Plant part(s) were extracted with distilled water and ‘aqueous
fermented maize starch’ (vernacular- ‘omi edun’). Treated groups were administered orally with 100mg/kg and 200mg/kg of plant part(s) extracts respectively. Chloroquine and artesunate were used as control drugs. Control animals were given water for the same period of time. Pathological effects were observed in the liver, kidney, heart, spleen, brain and testis. The leaf and the root extract of Morinda morindiodes prepared with ‘aqueous fermented maize starch’ extract  reduced the  patholog  observed to  be inflicted by the  parasite  similar to the  standard treatment  (chloroquine and artesunate). However when extracts were administered to mice that were without infection, vacuolar degeneration of hepatocytes and periportal mononuclear cells infiltration in the liver were observed. Sperms were not produced during the period of treatment (Spermiostasis) which indicated= reversible infertility in the male mice. The pathological damages caused by the root extracts increased with concentration. Also, the medium of extraction played important role, in that ‘aqueous fermented maize starch’ extractions were better in reducing the pathological effect of the parasite.  The extracts were safer when used in low concentration.

Keywords- Morinda morindiodes, Plasmodium berghei,  histology,  organs,  spermiostasis.