In vitro antiplasmodial activity of selected Luo and Kuria medicinal plants

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Drug resist ance in malaria is a recur ring subj ect that th reaten s publi c health glob ally. There is an urgent nee d to seek new antima larial ag ents. This stud y seeking new antima larials from medic inal plan ts is guided by et hnobota ny. Materials and methods: Medicina l plants of the Luo and K uria ethnic groups of Kenya with high usa ge report s were screened in vitr o for th eir antiplas modial activity using th e SYB R Green I fluor escence assa y (MSF assa y). Results: The IC50 ’s for drugs and total pl ant extr acts ra nged from 0.012 17 to 10.679 m g/ml. Ex tracts were more activ e on chloroqui ne s ensitive than re sistant Plasm odium falci parum strains. Tylosema fassoglense, Ageratum conyzoides and Ocimum kilimandscharicum exh ibited promisin g results. Plectranthus barbatus did not show activ ity. Conclusion: Eth nobotan ical knowle dge wa s sufficie ntly reliab le for identif ying plant extr acts with antipla smodial act ivity.