Antimalarial Activity of Multiple Dose on Plasmodium berghei Infected Mice and Heme Detoxification Inhibitory Activity of Helianthus annuus L. Leaf Extract
Helianthus annuus L. (sunflower) is traditionally used to treat malaria. Crude extracts of the plant leaves are found to be active against Plasmodium falciparum in in vitro antimalarial activity assay. In the present study, we aimed to investigate in vivo antimalarial activity against Plasmodium berghei in mice and heme detoxification inhibitory activity of 80% ethanol extract of H. annuus leaves. In vivo antimalarial activity was carried out using the Peters’ 4-day suppressive test against P. berghei in BALB/c mice. Animals were treated orally twice a day for 4 days with 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 mg/kg of 80% ethanol extracts, respectively. Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine was used as a positive control. Heme detoxification inhibitory activity was carried out by using the method of Basilico which had been modified and the absorbance was read by ELISA reader at a wavelength of 405 nm. Chloroquine was used as a positive control. The results showed that inhibition of in vivo antimalarial activity against P. berghei in mice increased along with the increasing dose. In repeated dose, ED50 was found to be 1.489 mg/kg. Heme detoxification inhibitory activity results showed that IC50 values for 80% ethanol extract and positive control were 0.690 and 0.688 mg/mL, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between 80% ethanol extract and positive control (p>0.05). The results showed that 80% ethanol extract of H. annuus L. leaf administered twice a day gives a strong activity both as an antimalarial in vivo and heme detoxification inhibitory
