Authors : Solomon Yeshanew and Yalemtsehay Mekonnen
Abstract: The antimalarial suppressive test of Otostegia integrefolia leaf extracts previously demonstrated and showed promising results in mice. The present study is aimed at evaluating the protective capability of the crude extracts of the leaves of the plant against loss of body weight, reduction in Packed Cell Volume (PCV) and shortening survival time caused by the malaria parasite using Plasmodium berghei infected mice. A standard 4 days Peter’s antimalarial test was carried out. PCV and body weight of mice were measured before parasite inoculation and after 4 days successive treatment. Starting from parasite inoculation up to death, survival time of each mouse in each group was also recorded. Aqueous, methanol and chloroform crude extracts of the plant material at tested doses of 200, 400 and 800 mg kg-1 were administered orally for the treatment and vehicles for the control groups. The result showed that, extracts of the plant material were able to prevent significant (p<0.05) loss of body weight and reduction in the PCV of mice. Similarly, aqueous and methanol extract treated mice lived longer survival time than the respective negative controls. Thus, polar solvent extracts of the plant material are able to reduce the overall pathogenic effects of the Plasmodium berghei parasitaemia in mice.
Solomon Yeshanew and Yalemtsehay Mekonnen, 2013. The Effect of Otostegia integrefolia Leaf Extracts on the Packed Cell Volume, Body Weight and Survival Time of Plasmodium berghei Infected Mice. International Journal of Tropical Medicine, 8: 129-134.