Asian Journal of Research in Biosciences

This study aims to investigate the potential of Gmelina arborea as an anti-malarial agent, exploring its therapeutic benefits and possible applications in malaria treatment. Malaria being a disease of massive burden in Nigeria and Africa has wasted income and caused death in infants and pregnant women majorly. Plants have been the main source of medicine in Africa and traditionalists have used them in the management of malaria; Gmelina arborea (GA) has been used in the Eastern part of Nigeria in the treatment of malaria, but there is no scientific validation on its usage.

In this study, an acute toxicity test, and the antimalarial potential of GA were evaluated. Plasmodium berghei infected mice in a 4-day suppressive test and 7-day curative models using mice were used. Parameters assessed were post-treatment parasitemia, level of suppression, haematological indices and survival.

G. arborea did not show acute or delayed toxicity; the level of suppression was high at 300mg/kg and the level of parasitemia was low at the same dose. The extract at 300mg/kg produced elevated red blood cell (RBCs) and platelet counts, and an increase in haemoglobin and lymphocytes while 900mg/kg showed only increased platelet counts in the suppressive model. In the established infection, percentage inhibition (PI) was high and parasitemia (PP) was low from day 1-7 at 300mg/kg, while at 900mg/kg, PI was high only on day 1. Platelets and RBC counts were high at 300mg/kg while lymphocytes were high at 100mg/kg.

This indicated that G. arborea is a potential candidate for the management of malaria and there is a need for further studies to identify the bio-active principle(s) and mechanism of antimalarial action.