RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Resistance to most antimalarial drugs has encouraged the use of herbal preparations along with prescribed orthodox drugs. OBJECTIVE: this study investigated effect of co-administration of aqueous extract of T. occidentalis leaves, commonly used as antimalarial and haematinic agent in Nigeria, and artesunate using P. berghei animal model. METHODS: In vivo curative antiplasmodial effect of T. occidentalis (200mg/kg) alone and in combination with artesunate (2mg/kg) were evaluated using albino mice infected with 10(6) parasitized erythrocytes of P. berghei intraperitoneally. The haematological parameters: haemoglobin level, red blood cells and white blood cells and packed cell volume were monitored using standard methods. RESULTS: Aqueous extract of T. occidentalis, artesunate and the combination gave 72.17±4.07%, 70.43± 4.27% and 85.43±3.65% reduction in parasitaemia after 48hours respectively. A significant enhancement of the PCV was obtained with the co-administration of artesunate and aqueous extract (p < 0.01). Similar trends were also observed with heamatological parameters at 72 hours of administration. CONCLUSION: This study revealed a synergistic effect of the co-administration on parasite clearance rate of P. berghei infection in mice, with a significant enhancement of haematological parameters within 48 hours of administration. This indicates a rapid rate of recovery from plasmodial infections with the co-administration.
