RESUMO
CONTEXT: Bridelia ferruginea Benth (Euphorbiaceae) is an indigenous medicinal plant in Nigeria. It is usually a gnarled shrub which sometimes reaches the size of a tree in suitable condition. Decoctions of parts of this plant have been employed in ethno medicine in many parts of Africa for treatment of many ailments including malaria fever. OBJECTIVE: In vivo antiplasmodial activity of aqueous stem bark extract of BF was investigated against Plasmodium berghei-infected mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The aqueous stem bark extract of BF (100-400 mg/kg) was administered orally to P. berghei-infected mice in both early and established models of antiplasmodial studies. RESULTS: The extract exhibited significant (p < 0.05) antiplasmodial activity in early and established infection tests with a considerable mean survival time comparable to that of chloroquine, 10 mg/kg. The oral LD(50) obtained was greater than 5000 mg/kg in mice. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The findings show that aqueous stem bark extract of Bridelia ferruginea possesses considerable antiplasmodial activity which can be developed in malaria therapy.
