Authors

R Muhammad¹;  ¹ Home, Nigeria

Discussion

Malaria is a severe infectious disease caused by Plasmodium parasites.Over 90% of malaria deaths occur in Africa, with a high prevalence among children.Nigeria has a significant malaria burden, contributing to a substantial portion of global malaria-related deaths.Hymenocardia acida (Jan Yaro), an indigenous plant used by the Hausa tribe in Northern Nigeria for treating various diseases, including fever. The research aims to contribute to the development of a novel and effective treatment for malaria using Hymenocardia acida, considering both its efficacy and safety. Collection, preparation, and extraction of H. acida plant materials were carried out. Phytochemical screening to identify various chemical constituents was conducted. In-vivo toxicity assessment using acute and chronic tests in mice was also conducted. In-vivo antiplasmodial activity assay to evaluate the extracts' effectiveness in treating malaria. The extracts were found to contain tannins, saponins, flavonoids, steroids, terpenes, carbohydrates, and alkaloids while cardiac glycosides were present only in the leaf extract. Acute toxicity tests showed that LD50 (lethal dose) for both extracts was greater than 5,000mg/kg, indicating safety. Chronic toxicity tests (90 days) showed an increase in body weight, with dose-dependent effects. Liver, kidney, and spleen of the mice treated with extracts were examined. Abnormalities were observed in the liver and kidney, particularly at higher doses. The spleen showed no abnormalities. Percentage Parasitemia was reduced in treated mice compared to untreated infected mice, both leaf and stem-bark extracts exhibited anti-malarial activity, by increasing the survival time of P. berghei infected mice and maintain body temperature in infected mice. The stem-bark extract showed higher percentage inhibition of parasites compared to the leaf extract. Extracts demonstrated potential anti-malarial activity.The study suggests that Hymenocardia acida extracts showed potential medicinal properties, including anti-malarial effects. Toxicity was observed at higher doses, indicating the need for careful consideration of dosage in medicinal use.