In Vivo Evaluation of the Acute Toxicity and Anti-inflammatory Effects of the Methanolic Extract and Acetatic Fraction of Pericopsis laxiflora Bark in the Management of Malaria

Abstract

Malaria is a major public health problem in Côte d'Ivoire and Africa. One of the characteristics of malaria is that it induces inflammation that is the origin of fevers and pains that involve the immune, neurological and hormonal systems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the acute toxicity and anti-inflammatory activity of Pericopsis laxiflora, an antimalarial plant, on mice. To do this, nine batches of five mice were used, including six test batches and three control batches. For the test batches, doses of 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg of CP of the methanolic extract and the acetan fraction were used, respectively. While the control batches consisted of a healthy control, a diseased control and a control treated with the reference molecule (diclofenac) at 50 mg/Kg CP. After oral administration of the distinctive doses to each batch, except the healthy control batch, carrageenin at a concentration of 1% NaCl was injected one hour later under the plantar fascia of the right hind leg of the mice. Then, oedema was measured 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 hours after this injection. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the animals of the diseased control and those of the test batches. After five hours (end of testing), the inhibition percentages were determined and corresponded to 33.33%, 54.83% and 84.61% for the extract, and 31.45%, 66.32% and 92.13% for the fraction at the successive doses of 200, 400 and 800 mg/Kg bw, respectively. While at a dose of 50 mg/Kg bw of diclofenac (reference molecule), the percentage of inhibition was 77.78%. The results of this study indicate that at a single dose of 800 mg/kg bw of the extract and fraction, these products inhibit more than diclofenac. On the other hand, on the basis of this same dose (800 mg/Kg bw), it can be seen that diclofenac (pure molecule) inhibits 16 times more than the extract and the fraction (set of molecules to be purified). Thus, these results show that the extract and the fraction can be as anti-inflammatory.