EVALUATION OF ANTIMALARIAL, ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND ANTIPYRETIC ACTIVITIES OF LEAVES EXTRACTS OF HAEMATOSTAPHIS BARTERI
Haematostaphis barteri, known as blood plum found in Upper West region of Ghana. It is used locally for treating malaria, hepatitis, and swollen body parts. The curative property of dicloromethane:methanol (D/M) and aqueous (AQ) extracts were investigated by inoculating mice with 1x106P. berghei. On the fourth day, the mice were treated orally with AQ (30-300 mg/kg), D/M (30-300 mg/kg), saline and Artemether-Lumifantrine (1.14:6.9 mg/kg) for 5 days. In the prophylactic assay, AQ, D/M and 1.2 mg/kg sulfadoxine/pyremethamine (SP) were orally administered to the mice for three consecutive days before inoculating them with P. berghei. Parasite density was measured after 72 h. The anti-inflammatory activity of AQ was determined by inducing inflammation in hind paws of rats by intra plantar injection of 100 µl of 1% of carrageenan, histamine and serotonin before oral treatments with AQ (30-300 mg/kg), saline and 10 mg/kg diclofenac. The effects of the treatments on inflammation were measured with digital calipers. Pyrexia was also induced in rats with 0.135 g/kg, i.p. yeast. The rats were treated orally with AQ and 25 mg/kg paracetamol 18 h later. Rectal temperature was taken for three hours. AQ and D/M produced significant (P<0.05) curative antimalarial activity. In the prophylactic test however, only AQ significantly reduced the parasite density. AQ significantly (p<0.05) inhibited carrageenan, histamine and serotonin-induced inflammation as well as pyrexia induced with yeast. H.barteri possesses antimalarial, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties. The antiinflammatory properties involved the inhibition of inflammatory the mediators: histamine and serotonin