The Antiplasmodial Activity of Methanol Root Bark Extract of Alstonia Boonei against Plasmodium Berghei Berghei Infection in Mice

Plasmodium berghei berghei infection in mice in order to justify its use as antimalarial remedy in Nigeria folk medicine. The plant extract was screened for blood schizontocidal activity against chloroquine-sensitive plasmodium berghei infection in the mice. The schizontocidal activity was monitored at stages of early and established infection. The prophylactic activity was also investigated. Results showed a dose dependent blood schizontocidal activity at all the stages of malarial infection studied. For instance when the extract dose increased from 400 to 800 mg/kg/day, chemosupressive activity of the extract increased from 62.2 % to 79.5 %. There was also an increase from 58.8 % to 72.2 % and from 66.4 % to 82.9 % for the repository and curative activities respectively. These schizontocidal activities observed were however, comparable to that observed for the standard drug (chloroquine phosphate). It was thus concluded that the herbal extract possesses significant antimalarial potency which could be exploited in the formulation of standard antimalarial drugs.