Evaluation of haematological changes in Plasmodium-berghei-infected mice administered with aqueous extract of Phyllantus amarus

Abstract

This study was designed to evaluate the changes in some hematological parameters of P-berghei-infected mice treated with aqueous extract of Phyllantus amarus, a plant that is used traditionally to treat malaria patients in some Nigerian communities. The aqueous extract of the leaves at 200, 400 and 600 mg kg(-1) body weight/day dose levels were used to treat the test groups immediately after infection for the suppressive test and 72 hours post infection for the curative test while a standard antimalarial drug, Artesunate, at a dose of 50 mg kg(-1) body weight was administered on the positive control group. The negative control group was left untreated. The level of parasitemia, variation in weight, Percentage Packed Cell Volume (% PCV), erythrocytes (RBC) and leukocytes (WBC) counts in the different groups were monitored throughout the period of study. The crude extract was screened for its phytochemical composition. The crude extract at 200, 400 and 600 mg kg(-1) body weight/day suppressed parasitemia by 54.67, 61.25 and 61.24% after treating for four days in the suppressive test as against 72.32% for the standard drug while the level of parasitemia was reduced by 64.35, 66.71 and 67.13%, respectively after treating for five days in the curative test as against 71.87% for the standard drug. The variations in the values of Percentage Packed Cell Volume (% PCV), weight, leukocyte and erythrocyte counts for treated groups before and after treatment was not significant (p < 0.05). Alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, glycosides, saponin, carbohydrate and phenols were found to be present in the crude extract. The findings of this study show that the use of Phyllantus amarus as antimalaria regimen by local medical practitioners does not adversely affect the weight and the haematological parameters determined.