Ethnobotanical survey of antimalarial plants in Awash-Fentale District of Afar Region of Ethiopia and in vivo evaluation of selected ones against Plasmodium berghei

ABSTRACT

Objective:To document plants used in traditional treatment of malaria in the Awash-Fentale District,the Afar Region of Ethiopia,and to evaluate antimalarial activity of selected ones against Plasmodium berghei in mice.Methods:Semi-structured interviews were carried out with purposively selected informants in the District to gather information on plants used in the traditional treatment of malaria.Standard procedures were used to investigate acute toxicity and a four-day suppressive effect of cmde aqueous and ethanol extracts of the leaves of the two most frequently cited plants [Aloe trichosantha (A.trichosantha) and Cadaba rotundifolia (C.rotundifolia)] against Plasmodium berghei in Swiss albino mice.Results:The informants cited a total of 17 plants used in the traditional treatment of malaria in Awash-Fentale District.Plant parts were prepared as infusions or decoctions.Leaf was the most commonly cited (44％) plant part,followed by stem (22％).Shrubs were the most frequently cited (63％) medicine source followed by trees (21％).Of the 17 plants,C.rotundifolia and A.trichosantha were the most frequently mentioned plants in the district.Ethanol extracts of the leaves of C.rotundifolia and A.trichosantha suppressed P.berghei parasitaemia significantly accounting for 53.73％ and 49.07％,respectively at 900 mg/kg.The plants were found to be non-toxic up to a dose of 1 500 mg/kg.Conclusions:Seventeen plant species were reported to be used for treatment of malaria in the Awash Fentale Distinct,among which A.trichosantha and C.rotundifolia were the most preferred ones.P.berghei suppressive activity of these plants may partly explain their common use in the community.