DOI: 10.1177/1934578x261493249 ISSN: 1934-578X
Antimalarial Potential of the Stem Bark of
Amphimas pterocarpoides
(DC.) Harms:
In vivo
Antimalarial Activity of Hydroethanol Extract and
George Adjei-Hinneh, Evelyn Asante-Kwatia, Abraham Yeboah Mensah, Reinhard Isaac Nketia, Felix Kwame Zoiku, Silas Adjei, Emmanuel Quaye Kontoh
Objective
This study evaluated the antimalarial activity of the stem bark extract of
Amphimas pterocarpoides
, isolated bioactive compounds from its most active fraction, and assessed the interactions of these constituents with the Plasmodium falciparum lactate dehydrogenase (pfLDH)
in silico.
Methods
The acute oral toxicity of the crude extract was assessed in accordance with OECD Guideline 425.
In vitro
antiplasmodial and erythrocyte compatibility were determined using SYBR Green and MTT assays, respectively.
In vivo
antimalarial activity was assessed in
Plasmodium berghei
-infected mice using Peter’s suppressive and Rane’s curative models. Blind molecular docking analysis was used to predict the compound’s interaction with pfLDH.
Results
The extract demonstrated promising antiplasmodial activity against the
P. falciparum
3D7, K1, and Dd2 strains (IC
50
= 0.771–1.861 μg/mL) and exhibited favourable RBC compatibility, with CC
50
values >80 μg/mL, comparable to those observed for artesunate. The crude extract showed no signs of toxicity at 2000 mg/kg and exhibited significant chemosuppression (84.64 ± 0.47% and 79.37 ± 0.98%) in both
in vivo
models. Additionally, the extract prevented Plasmodium-induced weight loss, PCV reduction, and hypothermia. Chromatographic fractionation of the most active fraction yielded three compounds: Betulinic acid, 6-methoxyisofomononetin and daucosterol. All isolates and artesunate exhibited appreciable activity against
Plasmodium falciparum
strains (IC
50
= 0.25–1.13 μM) with erythrocyte selectivity indices >70. Also, all compounds exhibited more favourable predictive interactions with pfLDH than chloroquine did.
Conclusion
The crude extract of
A. pterocarpoides
showed antimalarial potential against chloroquine-sensitive and resistant
Plasmodium falciparum
strains. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the antiplasmodial activity of 6-methoxyisoformononetin and its interaction with pfLDH.