Antiplasmodial activity of four Kenyan medicinal plants

Abstract

A preliminary antiplasmodial and phytochemical screening of four Kenyan medicinal plants was carried out. The medicinal plants were extracted and tested for in vitro antiplasmodial activity against chloroquine-sensitive (K67) and chloroquine-resistant (ENT36) strains of Plasmodium falciparum. Out of 16 extracts, 12 were active against ENT36 strain while seven were active against K67 strain, that is, IC₅₀ ≤ 50 μg/ml. The most active extracts on both strains were those of leaves of Phyllanthus reticulatus Poir. and Suregada zanzibariensis Baill. (Euphorbiaceae) with IC₅₀ ≤ 10 μg/ml. The stembark of Terminalia spinosa Engl. (Combretaceae) and the stems of Dissotis brazzae Cogn. (Melastomataceae) had IC₅₀ ≤ 10 μg/ml for strains K67 and ENT36, respectively. A preliminary phytochemical analysis of these plants revealed the presence of different classes of primary and secondary metabolites.