Anti-malarial activity and toxicity assessment of Himatanthus articulatus, a plant used to treat malaria in the Brazilian Amazon

Background: Plasmodium falciparum has become resistant to some of the available drugs. Several plant species are used for the treatment of malaria, such as Himatanthus articulatus in parts of Brazil. The present paper reports the phyto-chemistry, the anti-plasmodial and anti-malarial activity, as well as the toxicity of H. articulatus. Methods: Ethanol and dichloromethane extracts were obtained from the powder of stem barks of H. articulates and later fractionated and analysed. The anti-plasmodial activity was assessed against a chloroquine resistant strain P. falciparum (W2) in vitro, whilst in vivo anti-malarial activity against Plasmodium berghei (ANKA strain) was tested in mice, evaluating the role of oxidative stress (total antioxidant capacity - TEAC; lipid peroxidation – TBARS, and nitrites and nitrates - NN). In addition, cytotoxicity was evaluated using the HepG2 A16 cell-line. The acute oral and sub-chronic toxicity of the ethanol extract were evaluated in both male and female mice. Results: Plumieride was isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of ethanol extract, Only the dichloromethane extract was active against clone W2. Nevertheless, both extracts reduced parasitaemia in P. berghei-infected mice. Besides, a significant reduction in pulmonary and cerebral levels of NN (nitrites and nitrates) was found, as well as in pulmonary TBARS, indicating a reduced oxidative damage to these organs. The ethanol extract showed low cytotoxicity to HepG2 A16 cells in the concentrations used. No significant changes were observed in the in vivo toxicity studies. Conclusions: The ethanol extract of H. articulatus proved to be promising as anti-malarial medicine and showed low toxicity

Anti-promastigote Activity of the Amazon Plants

Universidade Federal do Pará. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Inovação Farmacêutica. Belém, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Faculdade de Química. Belém, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas. Belém, PA, Brasil / Universidade Federal do Pará. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Inovação Farmacêutica. Belém, PA, Brasil.This study evaluated in vitro activity of ethanol extract, fractions, and isolated substance from Amazon species against promastigotes of L. amazonensis. The ethanol extracts were concentrated and fractionation. The anti-promastigote activity was evaluated through the cell viability assessment method (MTT). The ethanol extract, fractions, and isolated substance from Himatanthus articulatus and Parahancornia fasciculata were inactive in promastigote of L. amazonensis, as the ethanol extract of Physalis angulata. The hexane fractions from different parts of Montrichardia linifera showed anti-promastigote activity probably due to the presence of steroids and terpenes. All species in studies were inactive, except of M. linifera. The few polar constituents can be responsible for the activity. Therefore, the isolation and purification of the active on L. amazonensis promastigotes are urgently required

Anti-promastigote activity of the amazon plants

Universidade Federal do Pará. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Inovação Farmacêutica. Belém, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Faculdade de Química. Belém, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas. Belém, PA, Brasil / Universidade Federal do Pará. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Inovação Farmacêutica. Belém, PA, Brasil.This study evaluated in vitro activity of ethanol extract, fractions, and isolated substance from Amazon species against promastigotes of L. amazonensis. The ethanol extracts were concentrated and fractionation. The anti-promastigote activity was evaluated through the cell viability assessment method (MTT). The ethanol extract, fractions, and isolated substance from Himatanthus articulatus and Parahancornia fasciculata were inactive in promastigote of L. amazonensis, as the ethanol extract of Physalis angulata. The hexane fractions from different parts of Montrichardia linifera showed anti-promastigote activity probably due to the presence of steroids and terpenes. All species in studies were inactive, except of M. linifera. The few polar constituents can be responsible for the activity. Therefore, the isolation and purification of the active on L. amazonensis promastigotes are urgently required