Evaluation of Antiplasmodial Activity of Solvents Extract of Senna occidentalis Leaves

The high rate of resistance to an antimalarial drug suggests the importance to discover new compounds with potential antimalarial activities. This research work is aimed at evaluating the antimalarial activity as well as characterization of potential bioactive compounds from extracts of Senna occidentalis leaves (ESOL). The in vitro antimalarial activity of the methanol, ethyl acetate, chloroform, and hexane extracts was carried against Plasmodium falciparum. The antimalarial activity of the extracts was determined by calculation of the percentage elimination of the ESOL after three days of incubation against Plasmodium falciparum. Analysis for the detection of possible bioactive compound(s) in the ESOL was conducted using Gas chromatography Mass spectrometry (GCMS). Results showed that ESOL has antimalarial properties that were dose-dependent. Furthermore, there was a significant increase (p<0.05) in the mean percentage elimination of all the extracts when compared with placebo (normal saline). All the extracts show an activity less than the conventional drug, i.e Artemisinin Combination Therapies(ACT), with the chloroform extracts showing the highest anti-plasmodial activity of 94.64% at 5000 µg/ mL. Chloroform extracts were found to contain Urs-12-en-3-ol, acetate (3 beta), (Alpha-amyrin), Lup-20(29)-en-3-ol, acetate and 12-Oleanen-3-yl acetate, (Beta-amyrin acetate) as possible bioactive compounds. This study suggests that ESOL has potential anti-plasmodial activity.