In-vivo antimalarial activity of aqueous leaf and bark extracts of Trema orientalis against Plasmodium berghei in mice

The control of malaria relies on the use of chemical antimalarial, but the development of resistance necessitates research into alternatives. Trema orientalis (L.) Blume is used in Nigerian folklore medicine for the treatment of malaria. This study investigates the in vivo antiplasmodial activity of aqueous leaf and bark extracts of T. orientalis in rodent model. Swiss Albino mice weighing 23–27 g were intraperitoneally infected with Plasmodium berghei. The lethal dose in mice was estimated to be greater than 5000 mg/kg based on toxicity signs and death. Aqueous crude leaf and bark extracts were administered at 400, 800 and 1600 mg/kg. Chloroquine was used as positive control while the negative control was treated with distilled water. Parasitemia, parasite inhibition, body weight and packed cell volume (PCV) were determined. The parasite inhibition of the leaf extracts at 400, 800 and 1600 mg/kg was 51.55, 62.78 and 76.08 % while that of the bark extract was 44.3, 65.82 and 74.23 % respectively. The percentage parasitemia of the leaf extract at 400, 800 and 1600 mg/kg decreased by 45.0, 70.3 and 74.7 % while that of the bark decreased by 37.4, 53.0 and 52.0 % respectively. The PCV of mice treated with 400, 800 and 1600 mg/kg leaf extract were 48.85, 49.88 and 50.99 % while that of the bark extract was 49.38, 48.88 and 51.94 % respectively. The results indicate that the plant has a promising antiplasmodial activity against P. berghei, which validates its folkloric use.