In-Vivo Evaluation Of The Anti-Malaria Activities Of Phyllanthus Niruri And Euphorbia Hirta On Mice Malaria (Plasmodium Berghei)

                                                                  ABSTRACT

The anti-malarial activities of Phylantus nfruri and Euphorbia hirta on Piasmodium berghei were studied; using mice (in vivo). A total of twenty mice were used for the study. They were separated into 4 groups of 5 mice each. All the groups were passaged (infected) using P. berghei. They were left for 10 days; for the infection to be established. On Day 10 (D10), the infected mice in groups 2 and 3 were treated with 30mg/kg of P. niruri and E. hirta respectively; while those used for the negative control (group 1) and positive control (group 4) were treated with 0.3 imi saline water and 5mg/kg chioroquine respectively. Treatment continued two more days (D11 and D12). It was observed that those treated with P. niruri recorded a reduction in the level of parasitemia (7.0% - 3.7%). The level of parasitemia was 2.2%, at D12, indicating further reduction. The extracts from E. hirta recorded a slight reduction (8.2% - 7.2%) after treatment at D10 and D11, a slight reduction in the level of parastemia (6.0%) was equally observed at D12. The mice treated with chioroquine recorded a very high reduction in the level of paraistemia (2.5% - 0.3%) at D10 and D11, the parasites were totally cleared at d12. The two extracts and the positive control showed a significant (P<0.05) reduction in the level of parasitemia. However, the reduction observed in those treated with P. niruri is comparable to those treated with chioroquine.