Antimalarial and analgesic activities of ethanolic leaf extract of Panicum maximum

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate antiplasmodial and analgesic activities of ethanolic leaf extract/fractions of Panicum maximum.@*METHODS@#The crude leaf extract (47-190 mg/kg) and fractions (chloroform, ethyl acqeous and methanol; 96 mg/kg) of Panicum maximum were investigated for antiplasmodial activity against chloroquine sensitive Plasmodium berghei infections in mice and for analgesic activity against chemical and heat-induced pains. The antiplasmodial activity during early and established infections as well as prophylactic were investigated. Artesunate at 5 mg/kg and pyrimethamine at 1.2 mg/kg were used as positive controls. Analgesic activity of the crude extract/fractions was also evaluated against acetic acid, formalin and heat-induced pains.@*RESULTS@#The extract and its fractions dose-dependently reduced parasitaemia induced by chloroquine sensitive Plasmodium berghei infection in prophylactic, suppressive and curative models in mice. These reductions were statistically significant (P<0.001). They also improved the mean survival time from 13 to 28 days compared with control (P<0.001). The activities of extract/fractions were incomparable to that of the standard drugs (Artesunate and pyrimethamine). On chemically and thermally-induced pains, the extract inhibited acetic acid and formalin-induced inflammation as well as hot plate-induced pain in mice. These inhibitions were statistically significant (P<0.001) and in a dose-dependent fashion.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Panicum maximum leaf extract has antiplasmodial and analgesic activities which may in part be mediated through the chemical constituents of the plant.

Nephroprotective effect of Croton zambesicus root extract against gentimicin-induced kidney injury

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the kidney protective effect of ethanolic root extract of Croton zambesicus (C. zambesicus) against gentimicin-induced kidney injury in rats.@*METHODS@#The root extract (27-81 mg/kg) was administered to rats for eight days with concurrent administration of gentimicin (100 mg/kg) daily for the same period of time. Protective effect of the extract was evaluated in serum levels of creatinine, urea, and uric acid as well as some ions like sodium, potassium and chloride. Histological examination of the kidneys from different treatment groups were also carried out.@*RESULTS@#Administration of the root extract significantly reduced histopathological changes in the kidneys of the extract-treated rats especially in the rats treated with lower doses of the extract (27 and 54 mg/kg). The levels of serum urea and creatinine were also reduced significantly (P<0.01) at these doses with no observable effect on the levels of uric acid and ions.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The kidney - protective activity of this extract could be due to its antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities.

Antiinflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities of ethanolic root extract of Croton zambesicus

The ethanolic root extract of C. zambesicus [27-81mg/kg] was evaluated for antiiflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic properties in mice. The extract [27-81mg/kg] demonstrated a weak antiinflammatory activity. However, a significant [P<0.01-0.001] analgesic and antipyretic activities were observed in all the experimental models tested. The extract may be exerting its effects through central mechanisms. These findings confirms its ethnomedical use in the treatment of malarial-associated symptoms

Antimicrobial activity of root extract and crude fractions of croton zambesicus

The root extract and fractions of Croton zambesicus were screened for antimicrobial activity against some typed and pure cultures of bacterial and fungal species. These were carried out by the Plate -hole diffusion method on Mueller - Hinton agar [MHA] for bacteria and Sabouraud Dextrose Agar [SDA] for the fungi. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations [MICs] of test samples found to be active by the diffusion test were determined based on the macrodilution method. The crude extract as well as chloroform and n-hexane fractions had activity against B. subtilis only. While ethyl acetate fraction had a wide spectrum of activity against all the bacteria organisms tested with a promising minimum inhibitory concentrations. However, the crude extract and the fractions were inactive against all the fungal species tested. This result confirms its ethnomedicinal use in the treatment of microbial infections

Subchronic toxicity studies of the ethanolic root extract of croton zambesicus

Subchronic toxicity study of the crude root extract of Croton zambesicus [27-81mg/kg], which is used traditionally as malarial remedy, was carried out in rodents to evaluate the safety profile. Effect of the extract on body weights, haematological indices as well as liver and kidney functions and histology of various organs were investigated. Subchronic treatment of rats for 21 days caused comparable increase in body weights of rats in extract treated and control groups. The extract caused a dose-dependent increases in RBC, PCV, Hb, WBC, bleeding time and clotting time. The increases were only significant [P<0.05] at the highest dose of the extract [81mg/kg] for RBC and WBC when compared to control. There was no significant [P>0.05] differences in the means of other haematological parameters in the extract treated groups compared to control. The extract caused significant [P<0.05-0.01] increases in the level of serum total protein, ALT, ALP, total bilirubin and total cholesterol. The was no significant [P>0.05] changes in the levels of albumin and AST. The extract did not produce any significant [P>0.05] changes in the mean concentrations of urea, creatinine, Na+, K+, and Cl- ions of rats in the extract treated groups compared to that of control. Histopathologic analysis of the vital organs revealed no significant lesions in the brain, liver, kidney, heart, spleen, ovary, and testis. The results suggest the extract to be safe when taken orally though with an insignificant effect on the liver

Antiulcer and anticonvulsant activity of Croton zambesicus

The ethanolic root extract of Croton zambesicus was investigated for its potential to protect gastric mucosa against ulcers induced by indomethacin, ethanol and reserpine. The anticonvulsant activity of the root extract against pentylene tetrazol[PTZ]- and picrotoxin-induced convulsion in mice was also studied. The extract [27-81mg/kg] produced a significant [P<0.005-0.001] dose-dependent effects against the ulcerogenic effect of differents agents used; indomethacin, ethanol and reserpine. The effect of the extract was lower than that of the standard drug, cimetidine [100mg/kg] in the indomethacin and reserpine-induced ulcer models and higher than that of propranolol [40mg/kg] in ethanol- induced ulcer model. The extract [27-81mg/kg] could not protect mice from convulsion in both PTZ - and picrotoxin- induced convulsion. The root extract significantly [P<0.01-0.001] delayed the onset and latency of convulsion caused by PTZ and picrotoxin. The root extract possesses antiulcer and anticonvulsant properties