In Vivo Antiplasmodial Potential of the Leaf, Mesocarp, and Epicarp of the Raphia hookeri Plant in Mice Infected with Plasmodium berghei NK65

Abstract

Background of the study. Raphia hookeri G. Mann & H. Wendl (Arecaceae) is an important plant used in folkloric medicine to treat various ailments such as inflammation, tumor, microbial infections, paralysis, hypertension, and rheumatism, primarily in Africa and Asia. Aim and Objectives. The study was designed to investigate the antiplasmodial and antioxidant potencies of Raphia hookeri leaves, mesocarp, and epicarp using Plasmodium infected mice. The bioactive constituents were further explored via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results. The presence of alkaloids, fats and oils, phenolic, and flavonoids was detected via the qualitative test which was confirmed from the result obtained from the GC-MS chromatogram of ethanolic leaves extract. The GC-MS chromatogram of the constituents analogous to the twenty peaks was analyzed as follows: dodecanoic acid (1.94%), 2-undecanone (3.42%), hexadecanoic acid (44.84%), oleic acid (7.45%), octadecanoic acid (8.41%), narcissidine (2.38%), 1-dotriacontanol (2.38%), α-sitosterol (2.02%), and lupeol (1.42%). The total phenolics and flavonoids of 118 and 23.3702 mg/g were analyzed in the leaves extract. The leave extract exhibited inhibitory activity of 73.49% against free radicals which could lead to inflammation. The extracts and chloroquine-treated groups showed significant decrease in percentage parasitaemia with pronounced activity observed in chloroquine groups. Conclusion. The curative and scavenging potencies of studied plant could be attributed to the metabolites analyzed and could guide the formulation of new pharmacophores against malaria infections and inflammations.