Anti-plasmodial activity of sodium acetate in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice
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Date
2018-04-10
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DE GRUYTER
Abstract
Background: Continuous increase in drug resistance has
hindered the control of malaria infection and resulted
in multi-drug-resistant parasite strains. This, therefore,
intensifies the search for alternative treatments with no
or less side effects. Several histone deacetylase inhibitors
have been characterised to possess anti-malaria activity;
however, their further development as anti-malaria agents
has not recorded much success. The present study investigated the anti-plasmodial activity of sodium acetate in
Plasmodium berghei-infected mice, aiming at finding a
better alternative source of malaria chemotherapy.
Methods: Thirty female Swiss albino mice were randomly
distributed into six groups. Groups A (uninfected control)
and B (infected control) received only distilled water.
Group C (artesunate control) were infected and treated
orally with 4 mg/kg artesunate on the first day, and subsequently 2 mg/kg artesunate. Groups D, E and F were
infected and orally treated with 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg
sodium acetate, respectively.
Results: Sodium acetate significantly lowered parasitaemia (p < 0.05) after 4 days post-treatment, and the parasite
inhibition rate of 68.5% at 50 mg/kg compared favourably
with the 73.3% rate of artesunate. Similarly, administration of 50 mg/kg sodium acetate improved serum total cholesterol relatively better than artesunate. Our results also
revealed that sodium acetate does not interfere with liver
function, as there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in the serum activities of aspartate aminotransferase and
alanine aminotransferase in both infected treated and
uninfected mice.
Conclusions: This study shows that sodium acetate may
be a safe alternative source of anti-malaria drugs. Its effect
on the serum total cholesterol also predicts its ability in
correcting malaria-induced metabolic syndromes.
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Keywords
anti-plasmodial, HDACIs, malaria, Plasmodium berghei, sodium acetate