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RESEARCH ARTICLE                      BIOSCIENCE RESEARCH, 2025 22(2): 130-137.                     OPEN ACCESS

Antimalarial activity of Garcinia Kola in Abino Mice

Patience Nwonu¹, Chukwunwike Nwonu*², Lazarus Nweke³, Bartholomew Nwezea¹, Sallau Adamu⁴, Adaobi Ezike¹, Ikechukwu Onyishi⁵ and Kosisochukwu Ngwu¹

¹Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, P.M.B. 410001, Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria

²Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu University, P.M.B. 102343, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria

³Department of Parasitology & Entomology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, P.M.B. 5025, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria

⁴Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Imo State University, P.M.B. 2000, Owerri, Nigeria

⁵Department of Pharmaceutical Technology & Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka,

P.M.B. 410001, Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria

DOI:

Abstract

Garcinia kola is a member of the Clusiaceae family, which is used in African traditional medicine. G. kola has antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, antiplasmodial, and hypolipidaemic properties. The research, therefore, evaluated the acute toxicity, phytochemical, antimalarial, and haematological parameters of the plant with a view to determining the haemato-pharmacological potential. The extraction of G. kola was carried out using methanol; it was filtered, evaporated to dryness, and tested for phytochemical constituents. Fifty (50) male and female mice were used, 25 for the suppressive, and another 25 for a curative model of antimalarial and haematological activities. The acute toxicity test (LD₅₀) was determined within 24 h. The suppressive model used Peter’s 4-day protocol involving the administration of G. kola extract to three (3) groups of three mice per group, with doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, p.o. respectively of the extract, and 4 mg/kg, p.o. aqueous solution of Artemether/ Lumefantrine (AL) (80/480 mg), and 10 mL/kg, p.o. of distilled water to the 4^th and 5^th groups, for 3-days, after 4 h of inducing parasitaemia in the animals. The curative model used the Rane’s protocol and involved a 3-day establishment of parasitaemia in mice (n=6) per group. Suppression of parasitaemia in the curative model was found to be 2.40±24.00, 1.20±38.00, 0.60±24.00, 0.40±.24.00, 34.40±2.29 per 10 fields of 1000 erythrocytes for the 100, 200, 400 mg/kg, p.o. of the G. kola, and 1 mg/kg, p.o. of AL against 28.00 per 10 fields of 1000 erythrocytes of the negative control, which was significant (P<0.05) both within the groups and the negative control. The haematological parameters (Hb, PVC, and RBC) showed significant (P<0.05) increases in their respective values. The result of the curative model demonstrated a daily (for 3-consecutive days) increase in parasitaemia clearance, an indication of antiplasmodial activity. The study concluded that G. kola has antimalarial activity with improvement in the red blood cell indices in albino mice.