Effect of Aqueous Tephrosia Purpurea Aerial Extract on Parasite Replication and Inflammatory Response in Plasmodium Berghei Infected Balb/C Mice
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Date
2023-04
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Kenyatta University
Abstract
?r::l;::;qu:, [lll‘;c;ll:l‘\::::‘?i“g d‘;slcasclcaus.cd by I’In.v_mozlium [)a.rasilcs to 'pc'nplc living in
— >Cadlxt - E,:cng i o wlulwm it causes high mprbldlty and millions of deaths
R continue u<cfillpi|1 |\; C\.L:riCl'lCC difficultics (iif‘l‘;c Ils' ope m.accz‘:ssm.g 10. m(’?} effective mf\lflfla m.edlcanon‘ dl,'UgS', y Phytomedicine - hGUSCh")k‘is o has
e U pr_ovldmg information |equ1req for. malaria management. Many herbal
:‘?\(.:n.ls \\‘uh malaria p'olency have been .tcstcd in vitro, but. most are yet to undergo in
analyses. T ephrosia purpurea, a tropical plant growing in arid and semi-arid regions
revealed maflana chemotherapeutic value through in vitro investigation on the plant’s
aqueous aerial crude extract. The extract contained a flavone which had activity against
Plasquiwnfizlcipaz'um. The current study evaluated the crude extract for possible effect
on peripheral Plasmodium berghei replication and inflammatory response in BALB/C
mice. Each mouse was infected intraperitoneally with 1 x 107 P. berghei infected
erythrocytes for disease establishment. Groups of mice were then treated with either 7.
purpurea aerial crude extract (200 mg / kg body weight) or chloroquine (5 mg / kg body
weight). or normal saline (10 ml / kg body weight) in volumes of 0.2 ml for four days.
Blood samples were collected by tail puncture for microscopy parasitemia and differential
white blood cell counts, and by cardiac puncture for quantification of interferon gamma
(IFN-y) by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Two sample t-test was done on
experimental data to determine differences in the average parameters between two
respective groups of mice at various time points, and paired t-test to determine
significance in the means of parameters within the groups of mice. The extract
significantly reduced mice parasitemia (P<0.05). It also significantly reduced (P<0.05)
neutrophils in a similar trend with chloroquine (P<0.05). However, it reduced counts of
neutrophils, and lymphocytes significantly (P<0.05) compared to the standard drug. The
mice treated with the crude extract had significantly (P<0.05) more counts of basophils
than the positive and negative control groups. The extract significantly (P<0.05) reduced
levels of IFN-y in the P. berghei infected mice but to a lcss extent than the chloroquine.
The non-infected mice administered with the extract had significant (P<0.05) lower
counts of peripheral lymphocytes and monocytes than the group administgred with
chloroquine. Notably, the extract also significantly (P<0.05) reduced neutrophils counts
and increased basophil counts of non-infected mice respectively more than chloroquine
within a day post drug administration. Not only did the extract §ignliflcantly (P<0:05) raise
levels of IFN-y in non-infected mice, it also comparatively mamt.amed the cyt'okme levels
significantly (P<0.05) higher than in the group undef chloroquine. COI’ICllIS'lVCly‘ the T.
purpurea acrial crude extract has anli-l’/a.s'modnfm properties, and is a pfilc":,
immunomodulator able to reduce counts of neutrophils m]d lymphocytes, and levels of
IFN-y in P. berghei infected mice. The cxlract'also contains allergenic cop)pqunds lh:t
stimulate proliferation of basophils in mice. This study recommends investigation on the
mechanism through which the i and characterization of extract reduces mice parasitemia, L
the immunomodulatory and immunostimulatory compounds contained in it.