Abstract

EVALUATION OF IN VITRO ANTIMALARIAL ACTIVITY OF CALOTROPIS GIGANTIA AND CITRUS AURINTOFOLIA FLOWER EXTRACT AGAINST PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM 3D7

Saroj Bapna*, Trupti Satvekar, Pradeep Jadhav and Mrunal Ghag Sawant

Abstract

The alarming rate at which Plasmodium falciparum has developed resistance to chloroquine and other synthetic antimalarial drugs makes it necessary to search for more effective antimalarial compounds. In the present investigation the in vitro antiplasmodial activity of flower extract from Calotropis gigantia (Asclepiadaceae) and Citrus aurintofolia (Christm.) Swingle (family Rutaceae) was evaluated against chloroquine sensitive Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 strain at 24 h of incubation by light microscopy. The methanolic extract of both the plants C. aurintifolia and C. gigantia exhibited higher antimalarial activity (IC50 ranged between 47.64 and 117.52 μg/mL) as compared to aqueous extract (IC50 ranged between 71.31 to 162.63 μg/mL) respectively. The toxicity potentiality exhibited by flower extract was very negligible or did not show any apparent toxicity as compared to control. Future work should aim to discover the anti-malarial substances present to improve traditional use of these plants for malaria treatment.

Keywords: Malaria, Calotropis gigantia, Citrus aurintofolia, Plasmodium falciparum, antimalarial.