RESUMEN
Background & objectives: Homeopathy is considered as an emerging area of alternative medicine which could be established for the global health care. One of the greatest objections to this science lies in its inability to explain the mechanism of action of the micro doses based on scientific experiments and proofs. The present study has been undertaken to screen in vivo antimalarial activity of Malaria Co Nosode 30 and Nosode 200 against Plasmodium berghei infection in BALB/c mice. Methods: Peter’s 4-day test was used to evaluate the in vivo schizontocidal effect of Nosode 30 and Nosode 200. One month follow-up study was done to calculate the mean survival time of mice in each group. Biochemical analysis was carried out to assess the liver and kidney function tests using diagnostic kits. Results: Nosode 30 and 200 exhibited 87.02 and 37.97% chemosuppression on Day 7 and mean survival time (MST) of 18.5 ± 2.16 and 16.5 ± 1.37 days respectively, which were extremely statistically significant when compared to MST of infected control (8.55 ± 0.83 days). The safety of Nosode 30 was also confirmed by the comparable levels of ALP, SGOT, SGPT activities, concentration of bilirubin, urea and creatinine to CQ treated group. Conclusion: Nosode 30 possesses considerable in vivo antiplasmodial activity against P. berghei infection as compared to Nosode 200 as evident from the chemosuppression obtained using Peter’s 4-day test. Further, studies on the drug can be carried out to establish its antimalarial potential in monotherapy or in combination with other homeopathic drug formulations.
RESUMEN
Background & objectives: The present work was undertaken to evaluate antiplasmodial activity of ethanolic leaves extract of traditional medicinal plant Ajuga bracteosa in Plasmodium berghei infected BALB/c mice along with its phytochemical screening and acute toxicity test to support its traditional use as a remedy for malaria. Methods: Plant extract (ethanolic) 250, 500, 750 mg/kg/day was evaluated in the early and established infection along with repository activity in P. berghei infected BALB/c mice through suppressive, curative and preventive test. The phytochemical screening was carried out by employing standard procedures. The acute toxicity was checked through limit test. Results: The ethanolic leaves extract of A. bracteosa (250, 500 and 750 mg/kg/day) demonstrated a dose-dependent chemosuppression during early and in established infections, along with significant (P<0.05) repository activity. At a concentration of 750 mg/kg/day maximum 77.7 per cent chemosuppression during early infection and 68.8 per cent chemosuppression in repository activity were found. This dose enhanced significant mean survival period up to 27.4 ± 0.46 days in established infection. ELEAB was found to be safe up to 5 g/kg weight when administrated orally in the female BALB/c mice, which is upper limit for oral administration of the test material to rodents. ED50 of ELEAB was 300 mg/kg body weight of mice. Interpretation & conclusion: ELEAB inhibited parasitaemia and enhanced mean survival time in a dose-dependent manner upto 750 mg/kg/day dose in treated mice. Further studies need to be done to isolate and characterize active constituents of extract and to study their mechanism of action.