Antiplasmodial and immunomodulatory activities of dichloromethane extract of Stachytarpheta jamaicensis in Plasmodium berghei infected mice
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2025-01-08
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Indian Society for Parasitology
Abstract
Increased resistance of malaria parasite to first line antimalarial drugs has led to the search for alternatives in the manage ment of malaria. This study evaluated the anti-plasmodial and immunomodulatory effect of dichloromethane plant extract
of Stachytarpheta jamaicensis in Plasmodium berghei infected mice. Chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium berghei infected
mice were separated into five treatment groups (200 mg/Kg, 400 mg/Kg, and 600 mg/Kg) with a negative control (given
distilled water only) and a positive control (treated with Piperaquine-Dihydro-artemisinin), a standard drug. The plant
extracts and the standard drugs were administered orally. Parasitological examinations and survival rates of the animals
were monitored for 30 days, post infection. Phytochemical screening of the plant extract was performed using the standard
method. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was carried out to ascertain the immunomodulatory potential of the plant
extract. Leaf extract of S. jamaicensis revealed the presence of alkaloids only. The extract showed significant (P<0.05)
antiplasmodial effect on Day 11 post-infection and at 200 mg/kg dose mediated parasite clearance and improved survival
throughout the study. The intense and sustained TGF-β level stimulated by S. jamaicensis at 200 mg/kg dose may have
translated into the prolonged survival observed in the mice. S. jamaicensis modulated both pro and anti-inflammatory
responses in early and late infections, thus preventing pathological outcomes associated with excessive expression of the
pro-inflammatory (IFN-γ) and anti-inflammatory (TGF-β) cytokines. S. jamaicensis may therefore be explored as alterna tives for development of novel antimalarial and immunomodulatory candidates.
Description
Keywords
chemosuppression, antimalarial, dichloromethane, post infection
Citation
antiplasmodial, immunomodulatory, Plasmodium berghei