Antiplasmodial Activity of β-Ionone and the Effect of the Compound on Amelioration of Anaemia and Oxidative Organ Damage in Mice Infected with Plasmodium berghei

Introduction Owing to evolution of parasite strains that are resistant to existing antimalarial drugs, research for novel antimalarial medicines is progressing on numerous fronts.Purpose Herein, we evaluated the in vivo anti-Plasmodium berghei activity of beta-ionone including its ameliorative potential towards P. berghei-associated anaemia and oxidative organ damage.Methods Mice were infected with chloroquine-sensitive strain of P. berghei and then treated with beta-ionone at doses of 10 and 20 mg/kg body weight (BW) for seven days. The parasitemia, packed cell volume and redox sensitive biomarkers in the liver, brain and spleen were estimated.Results Our result showed that beta-ionone, in a dose-dependent fashion, significantly (p < 0.05) repressed the multiplication of P. berghei. More so, the compound, at doses of 10 and 20 mg/kg BW, significantly (p < 0.05) mitigated anaemia and organ damage induced by P. berghei.Conclusion Overall, the findings demonstrated that beta-ionone has antiplasmodial actions and plays a mitigative role against P. berghei-induced anaemia and oxidative organ damage.