Antiplasmodial Efficacy of Stem Bark Extracts of Pseudocedrela kotschyi in Mice Infected with Plasmodium berghei berghei

Aims: To evaluate the antiplasmodial efficacy of stem bark extracts of P. kotschyi against P. berghei berghei in mice. Study Design: Extraction and administration of plant extracts and evaluation of daily parasitaemia of infected mice. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmacognosy; Animal House. Department of Pharmacology and Department of Zoology, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria, between June, 2008 and November, 2011. Methodology: Dry zone cedar (Pseudocedrela kotschyi) Family: Meliaceae, stem bark powder was successively extracted using ethyl acetate, ethanol and aqueous solvents. A total of one hundred and twenty mice for each extract (ethanol, ethyl acetate and aqueous) were divided into three groups of forty mice per each test (suppressive, curative and prophylactic). They were inoculated with drug sensitive NK 65 Plasmodium berghei berghei. In each test animals were divided into five groups, each consisted of eight animals and treated separately with one of the following: 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg extracts, chloroquine/pyrimethamine and normal saline. Blood films were prepared and examined, and the changes in percentage parasitaemia were evaluated. Results: The ethanol, ethyl acetate and aqueous crude extracts of P. kotschyi at 200 mg/kg significantly (P=. 05) inhibited the parasitaemia by 39.43%, 26.99% and 28.36% respectively in the suppressive test. Ethanol and ethyl acetate crude extracts also showed significant (p=. 05) cure rate of 29.17 % and 20.28 % respectively. However there was no significant (p>. 05) reduction in parasitaemia load in the prophylactic tests. Conclusion: The results of the study showed that P. kotschyi stem bark indeed has antiplasmodial property.