Antimalarial, Antioxidant and Hepatoprotective Activities of Ethanol Extract of Blighia sapida K.D. Koenig (Sapindaceae) in Plasmodium berghei-infected Mice.

backgroundMalaria drug resistance remains a significant global health challenge, necessitating the continuous search for effective and affordable treatment options. This study evaluated the antimalarial potential, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective activities of Blighia sapida ethanolic leaf extract using an in vivo approach.

methodsPeter's 4-day suppressive test and Rane's curative test were used to determine the antimalarial activity of varying doses (50 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg, and 800 mg/kg body weight) of the ethanol extract of B. sapida in Swiss mice inoculated intravenously with chloroquine-resistant ANKA. Piperaquine/dihydroartemisinin (18/4 mg/kg) was used as a positive control. Parasitological outcomes, antioxidant status, and biochemical markers of the treatments were evaluated.

resultsThe extract was non-toxic up to 5000 mg/kg. It produced dose-dependent antiplasmodial effects, with maximum suppressive and curative activities of 77.02% and 71.94%, respectively, at 800 mg/kg. Hepatoprotective effects were statistically significant across doses, with the 400 mg/kg dose showing the strongest effect, as evidenced by markedly reduced serum AST (84.93 U/L) and ALT (68.48 U/L) compared to the negative control (133.88 and 93.92 U/L). Antioxidant status was also improved, with significant (p < 0.05) reductions in liver MDA and nitrite levels, particularly at 800 mg/kg (MDA: 0.22 nmol/mg protein; nitrite: 3.79 µmol/mg protein).

conclusionThese findings highlight the promising antimalarial, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective properties of B. sapida and provide insights into its bioactive compounds, supporting its potential for developing novel antimalarial therapeutics. Further studies can be done to isolate and characterize the active compounds responsible for these effects.