N. ERHUNSE

Malaria is an acute, life-threatening parasitic infection caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium, posing a significant global health threat. The most virulent form that infects humans is Plasmodium falciparum. Current first-line treatments involve Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), but the increasing prevalence of antimalarial drug resistance constitutes a major impediment to global malaria control initiatives. Historically, traditional knowledge of indigenous plants has guided the discovery of effective antimalarials, such as quinine and artemisinin, underscoring the urgent need to explore plant-based medicines for alternative therapeutic strategies. Persea americana (avocado), a commercially valuable fruit tree, is used traditionally for malaria treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the methanolic extract of Persea americana seed for its antimalarial activity and acute toxicity level. The overall objective was to scientifically validate the plant’s use for anti-malarial therapy and suggest it as a promising source for new antimalarial compounds. Acute toxicity was assessed in six male Wistar strain mice (6–8 weeks old) using the limit test dose up and down procedure of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) guideline 423. Antimalarial activity was tested using the Peter’s 4-day Suppressive test in 20 male Wistar strain mice inoculated intraperitoneally with Chloroquine Sensitive Plasmodium berghei NK65 infected red blood cells. Extract doses of 100, 250, and 500 mg/kg b.wt. were administered orally and daily for four days. Control groups received normal saline vehicle, chloroquine (25 mg/kg b.wt.), or lithium chloride (10 mg/kg b.wt.). In the acute toxicity study (OECD guideline 423), following the administration of 2000 mg/kg b.wt. of the Persea americana seed methanol extract, no mice death was recorded, and no other signs of toxicity were observed during the 14-day period. Therefore, the extract was deemed safe for administration at 2000 mg/kg b.wt.. The findings suggest that the Persea americana seed methanol extract has a low acute toxicity profile, as demonstrated by the safety of administering 2000 mg/kg b.wt. in mice. The antimalarial activity of Persea americana recorded decrease in % Parasitemia in mice and the most significant decrease in the highest dose administered. This validates the traditional use of the plant sample and highlight the Persea americana seed as a promising resource for discovering new antimalarial compounds

Enantia chlorantha and Nauclea latifolia are plants utilized as traditional medicine in Nigeriaforthe treatment of malaria. Enantia chlorantha is able to confer antiplasmodial activity in vitrodueto the fact that it possesses protoberberine alkaloids and flavonoids. In this experimental research, a hydroethanol extract was obtained from the barks of Enantia chlorantha and Nauclea latifolia. For the antimalarial study, twenty-five male Swiss albino mice weighing an average of 22g, were randomly distributed into 5 groups labelled; group 1; Negative control (NC) which receivednormal saline after infection, group 2; positive control (PC) which had infected micethat received 25 mg/kg chloroquine after infection, group 3 which received 50 mg/kg body weight ofBHE batch 4_A after infection, Group 4 which received 100 mg/kg body weight of BHEbatch4_B after infection and group 5 which received 250 mg/kg body weight of BHE batch 4_Cafterinfection. Treatment was done 3 hours after infection and 3 days thereafter. Smears were madefrom the lateral vein of each mice for determination of percentage parasitemia. Infectionwaswith 2 x 10 4 Plasmodium berghei. Mice administered 250 mg/kg body weight of BHEbatch4showed a significant decrease in percentage parasitemia as compared to the negative control group and this suggest that the bi-herbal combo has an impressive antimalarial activity

This study investigated different extraction methods and antioxidant properties of Kigelia africana through the analysis of extract yields, total flavonoid content, and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity. Four extraction methods were evaluated: methanol crude extract (ME), flavonoid-rich extract (FRE), methanol extract-ethyl acetate fraction (ME EAA), and flavonoidrich extract-ethyl acetate (FRE EAA). The FRE EAA showed the highest yield (0.2173), while FRE demonstrated the lowest yield (0.016). Total flavonoid content analysis revealed highest concentrations in the flavonoid-rich extract (185.6 ± 4.2 mg QE/g), followed by ethyl acetate fraction (142.3 ± 3.8 mg QE/g), and methanol extract (98.7 ± 2.9 mg QE/g). All extracts
exhibited concentration-dependent hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity, with IC50 values ranging from 7.508 ± 0.4 mg/mL (ME) to 7.644 ± 0.2 mg/mL (FRE). These findings suggest that while different extraction methods significantly affect yield and flavonoid content, all extracts
demonstrate comparable antioxidant activity, with the flavonoid-rich extract showing particularly promising results for potential therapeutic applications.

Malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum is still a global challenge to date. The major process for malaria parasite survival within red blood cells is the detoxification of heme, a toxic byproduct released from hemoglobin digestion, into a crystalline pigment called hemozoin. Agents which inhibit this process can be used to curb the parasitic development. The discovery of such agents can be done using the β-hematin inhibition assay, in-vitro studies using hemin, otherwise known as synthetic heme. The ability for hemin to polymerize into β-hematin provides the assay the characteristic capacity to be used as a means to study the inhibition of hemozoin formation (β-hematin). This study seeks to compare the β- hematin inhibitory potential of the methanol stembarks of Annickia affinis and Annickia chlorantha. Annickia affinis and Annickia chlorantha stembark extracts were observed to possess notable capability in inhibiting β-hematin formation with A. chlorantha performing better at inhibiting β-hematin formation than A. affinis