RESUMO
Recent approach in treatment and drug development suggested that the control of oxidative stress in malarial infected patients may be an added advantage. In this study, effect of methanolic leaf extract of Sphenocentrum jollyanum pier [S. jollyanum] on liver damage, markers of oxidative stress and alteration in lipid profile in P. berghei infected mice was assessed. Oxidative stress was induced by intravenously inoculation of mice with 1 x 107 sporozoites P. berghei. Treatment of parasitized mice with leaf extract of S. jollyanum had a significant [p<0.05] reductions in elevated levels of total protein, globulin, AST, ALT, ALP, GGT and total bilirubin, serum, kidney and liver malondialdehyde [MDA] concentrations, but caused a significant [p<0.05] increased in the activities of serum and liver catalase [CAT], superoxide dismutase [SOD] and glutathione [GSH] level when compared with parasitized non-treated group [PNT]. The extract treated group also showed significant [p<0.05] improvement in the levels of HDLc, total cholesterol, LDL and reduction in triglyceride compared with parasitized non treated group. Our results revealed that the protective capacity and antioxidant activity of the extract is dose dependant. The findings suggest that antioxidant property of Sphenocentrum jollyanum leave extract might be an added advantage to it anti-malarial activity