TITLE:
Antioxidant Activities of Ethanoilc Extracts of Spilanthes uliginosa, Ocimum basilicum, Hyptis spicigera and Cymbopogon citratus against Swiss Mice Exposed to Plasmodium berghei Anka 65
AUTHORS:
K. N. Agbafor, A. J. Uraku, A. N. C. Okaka, U. A. Ibiam, P. M. Ajah, O. U. Obasi
KEYWORDS:
Oxidative Stress, Plasmodium berghei, Medicinal Plants, Malaria, Swiss Mice
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.6 No.1,
January
12,
2015
ABSTRACT: Malaria infection is associated with increased generation of free radicals. This study investigated the antioxidant activity of ethanolic leaf extracts of Spilanthes uliginosa, Ocimum basilicum, Hyptis spicigera and Cymbopogon citratus. Seventy two (72) swiss mice of both sexes were used. All the mice were treated intraperitoneally with 0.2 ml parasitized blood suspension and parasitemia assessed by thin blood films stained with Geimsa stain after seventy two hours. The mice were divided into six groups namely; A, B, C, D, E, and F of twelve mice each. Groups B, C, D and E were subdivided into three (3): B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, D1, D2, D3, E1, E2 and E3, four in each subgroup. The subgroups were treated with the extracts of Spilanthes uliginosa (Sw), Ocimum basilicum, Hyptis spiligera and Cymbopogon citratus each for five (5) consecutive days with 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight respectively via oral intubation. Two control groups, A and F were used. The negative control (A) was treated daily with 5 ml/kg normal saline while positive control group (F) was treated with 5 mg/kg body weight of chloroquine. The results indicated a general significant (P