Antiplasmodial Potential of Mango (Mangifera indica) Stem bark against Plasmodium berghei in Infected Swiss Albino Mice

Augustine I. Airaodion¹*, Anthony U. Megwas², Chibuike V. Edom¹, Winifred N. Nsofor¹, Onyinyechi C. Njoku¹ and Nathaniel O. Oladosu³

*¹Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.

²Department of Optometry, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.

³Department of Mathematics, Educational Advancement Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.

*Corresponding Author’s: E-mail Address ✉: augustineairaodion@yahoo.com; Phone no ☎: +234,07030204212

Accepted June 30, 2021

This study is aimed at evaluating the antiplasmodial potential of Mangifera indica Stem bark against Plasmodium berghei in infected Swiss albino mice. The Stem bark of Mangifera indica tree was locally sourced in Bodija Area of Ibadan, Nigeria and was identified by a botanist. They were dried, milled and extracted in hot water. Sixty Swiss albino mice were divided into six groups of ten mice each. Each mouse in groups 2 to 6 was inoculated intraperitoneally with infected blood suspension containing about 1x107 Plasmodium berghei parasitized red blood cells on day zero while those in group 1 were not infected and this served as the normal control group. Animals in group 2 were administered 0.2 mL normal saline, those in group 3 were administered Chloroquine diphosphate at 5 mg/kg body weight, those in groups 4, 5 and 6 were administered 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of M. indica extract respectively. All treatments were orally done once per day for five consecutive days from when parasites were first seen in the infected animal blood. Parasitemia Count and PCV were done using standard methods. M. indica extract prevented weight loss and hemolysis characterized with malaria. High dose (400 mg/kg) of the extract exhibited antimalarial potential comparable to that of chloroquine. Thus, the extract is recommended for traditional use in the treatment of malaria fever. However, its toxicity should be investigated.

Key words: Antiplasmodial potential, Malaria, Mangifera indica Stem bark, Plasmodium berghei

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