In vivo antimalarial property of Markhamia lutea (Benth.) K. Schum leaf and stem-bark crude extracts and spectrophotometric evaluation of alkaloids, flavonoids, and phenolic contents
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Malaria is endemic to developing countries despite several efforts from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other organizations, and this has been attributed to many factors, including resistance to first-line antimalarial drugs. This study, therefore, evaluated phytochemical levels and antimalarial properties of Markhamia lutea (Benth.) K. Schum leaf and stem-bark extracted with various solvents as potential future alternative antimalarial drug development. Aqueous, ethanol, ethyl acetate, and methanol extracts from M. lutea leaf and stem-bark were evaluated for alkaloid, flavonoids, and phenolic levels using an ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer. The extracts were further evaluated for antimalarial properties at 100-400 mg/kg on Plasmodium berghei NK65-induced mice using a 4-day test. The ethyl acetate leaf extract (50.8 µg/mg) gave the highest Quercetin Equivalent of Flavonoids (QEF), followed by ethanol and methanol leaf extracts with 46.2 and 47.5 µg/mg QEF, respectively. Methanol exhibited the highest level of Gallic Acid Equivalent of Phenolics (GAEP) with 213.4 µg/mg, while aqueous leaf extract was the lowest with 96.1 µg/mg GAEP. The results showed that aqueous and methanol leaf extract, ethanol, and methanol stem-bark extract possessed antimalarial activity with the lowest ED50 of 237.5 and 240.6, 233.8, and 236.6 mg/kg, respectively. The extracts of Markhamia lutea leaf and stem-bark demonstrated antimalarial properties with high contents of phenolic and flavonoid components, while the extracts showed no acute toxicity at the tested doses in the animals studied.
Language: English
Topic: Malaria Research and Control
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4409924344