A STUDY ON SELECTED MEDICINAL PLANTS: CHEMICAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL EVALUATIONS OF POTENTIAL ANTIMALARIAL ACTIVITIES

Abstract

Medicinal plants have been sources of novel therapeutics, including antimalarial drugs e.g. artemisinin and quinine. The overall objective of this project is to explore medicinal plants to meet unmet therapeutic needs for malaria. A literature review on medicinal plants used for malaria was performed and a database of these plants compiled and analyzed. Selected medicinal plants used for malaria were subjected to various extraction methods and the extracts screened for antimalarial activity. A total of 1854 plants were documented to be used for malaria globally. Fabaceae is the most common family reported, while <i>Ficus</i> and <i>Vernonia</i> are the most common genera reported. Active extracts of two selected medicinal plants were subjected to bioassay-guided fractionation to isolate active compounds. Compounds were further characterized and evaluated for antimalarial activity, selectivity and haemolysis potential. The results of the review, bioassay-guided fractionation, pharmacological evaluations and chemical analyses of active plant samples and compounds are presented and discussed.