Antiplasmodial/Antimalarial Effect of Ethanol Extracts of Leaves of Vernonia amygdalina and Gongronema latifolium on the Activity of Catalase in Plasmodium berghei-Parasitized Mice

Aim: The study was designed to examine the effect of ethanollic leaf extracts of Vernonia amygdalina (VA) and Gongronema latifolium (GL) on serum catalase activity in mice exposed to malaria parasite (Plasmodium berghei) infection.

Study Design: Forty (40) adult mice weighing 26-30 g were divided into eight (8) Groups of five (5) mice each. Group 1 and 2 served as the normal control (NC) and parasitized control (PC) respectively, both of which received placebo treatment. All the other groups were parasitized and treated with the extracts via oro-gastric intubation for seven (7) days. Group 3 and 4 were treated with 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg of VA respectively. Group 5 and 6 were treated with 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg of GL respectively. Group 7 and 8 were treated with combination of VA and GL at 100 mg/kg of VA+100 mg/kg of GL and 150 mg/kg of VA+50 mg/kg of GL respectively. Serum catalase activity was determined from blood samples obtained on the 8th day after fasting overnight.

Results: The result showed that the administration of the extracts significantly (p<0.05) lowered catalase activity when compared with Group 2 except that of group 4 (200 mg/kg of VA) and 5 (100 mg/kg of GL). There was a significantly lower concentration of catalase in the groups treated with the combination therapy of VA and GL when compared to the untreated Group 2.

Conclusion: The present study revealed that both extracts of Vernonia amygdalina and Gongronema latifolium had a positive effect on serum catalase activity on parasitized mice. However, combination of both extracts gave a much positive effect. Hence we tend to draw conclusion that combination of both extract may serve as a useful intervention in the management and treatment of malaria parasite infection and would contribute to the development of potential antimalarial drug.