Anti plasmodial evaluation of the methanol and aqueous extracts of Gnetum africanum in wistar albino mice

The methanol and aqueous extracts of different parts of  Gnetum africanum  plant were studied for their in vivo anti-plasmodial activity against chloroquine resistant Plasmodium berghei Nk 65 in Swiss albino mice.  A four day curative standard test was used employing the rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium berghei NK 65. The mice were divided into groups. Five mice were used for each of the seven test/treatment groups. The aqueous extract of the stem of Gnetum africanum showed the highest antiplasmodial activity. The extract significantly suppressed the parasite. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) observed when the level of parasitemia of the animals treated with the aqueous extract of the stem bark of Gnetum africanum was compared with the untreated, chloroquine standard control and other treatment groups. The aqueous leaf extract of Gnetum africanum had the lowest suppression on the parasite as none of the animals in this group survived to the end of the 14 days study. In as much as some the animals in the Gnetum africanum stem methanol (4.00±0.00%) and Gnetum africanum leaf methanol (3.20±0.00%) survived till the end of the 14 days study, the parasite load was increasing in both groups, thereby indicating that there was no significant antiplasmodial activity in these groups. Since Gnetum africanum showed good antiplasmodial activity, it is concluded that this plant has potentials in fighting malaria.