Antiplasmodial activity of aqueous extract of Berberis aristata roots against Plasmodium berghei-infected BALB/c mice. (December 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chandel, Sanjeev; Bagai, Upma; Semwal, Ruchi Badoni; Semwal, Deepak Kumar
• Is Part Of: Pharmaceutical biology. Volume 53:Number 12(2015:Dec.)
• Page Start: 1735
• Page End: 1740
• Publication Date: 2015-12
• Subjects: Pharmacognosy -- Periodicals; Materia medica, Vegetable -- Periodicals; 615.321
• DOI: 10.3109/13880209.2015.1005750
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1388-0209

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Context</italic>: The rising problem of resistance to present antimalarial drugs stresses the need to look for newer antiplasmodial components with effective modes of action. The roots of <italic>Berberis aristata</italic> DC. (Berberidaceae) are used in the traditional medicine for malaria in various parts of India.</p> <p> <italic>Objective</italic>: The objective of this study was to evaluate antiplasmodial activity of <italic>B. aristata</italic> roots extract for the validation of its traditional medicinal use<italic>.</italic></p> <p> <italic>Material and methods</italic>: Aqueous root extract of <italic>Berberis aristata</italic> (AREBA) was screened for its <italic>in vitro</italic> as well as <italic>in vivo</italic> antiplasmodial activity against lethal rodent malaria parasite <italic>Plasmodium berghei</italic> NK65. <italic>In vitro</italic> activity was evaluated against schizont maturation of <italic>P. berghei</italic> using various concentrations ranging from 1 to 100 µg/mL. For <italic>in vivo</italic> studies, AREBA at the doses of 150, 250, 350, and 650 mg/kg/d was administered to <italic>P. berghei</italic> infected BALB/c mice orally for 4 consecutive days (D0–D3).</p> <p> <italic>Results</italic>: AREBA showed <italic>in vitro</italic> antiplasmodial activity with an IC<sub>50</sub> value of 40 µg/mL. <italic>In vivo</italic> studies demonstrated a variable dose-dependent chemosuppression with higher efficacy at lower doses. At a dose of 350 mg/kg/d, the suppressive and preventive activities were found to be 67.1% and 53.9%, respectively, followed by enhancing mean survival period up to 12.8 d for the curative assay versus 7.5 d for the untreated mice.</p> <p> <italic>Discussion and conclusion</italic>: These results provide relevant scientific evidences for the traditional medicinal use of this plant as malaria remedy and further advocates the isolation and characterization of active antiplasmodial principle from this plant.</p> </abstract>