In vitro antiplasmodial activity and phytochemical screening of Alstonia boonei De wild used in treating malaria-associated symptoms

Abstract

This study investigated the In vitro antiplasmodial activity and phytochemical constituents of the leaves from Alstonia boonei used in the local treatment of malaria. The crude ethanol extract from the medicinal plant (AB _-01 ) was fractionated into ethyl acetate (AB _-01-01 ), chloroform (AB _-01-02 ) and n-hexane (AB _-01-03 ) fractions. In vitro antiplasmodial assays and phytochemical screening of ethyl acetate, chloroform and n-hexane fractions from the plant were further carried out. Alkaloids, saponins tannins, flavonoids, steroids and glycosides were detected in the extracts of the plant. Plants leaves extracts and fractions were found to be active against Plasmodium falciparum with percentage elimination range of 40.90 to 81.81%. The analysis of the results of the extract and that of the standard (positive control) using Mann-Whitny U test indicate that there is no significant difference between them. Spearman rank correlation analysis of the plant samples with the positive control samples showed that there is correlation and the degree of relationship between the antiplasmodial activities of the plant samples and positive control samples is positively perfect (? _s = 1).