ANTIPLASMODIAL AND CYTOTOXIC ACTIVITIES OF SELECTED MEDICINAL PLANTS IN KAKAMEGA COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Female Anopheles mosquitoes spread malaria. Pregnant women, young children, and older adults are particularly prone to this sickness due to immune system impairment. The licensed antimalarials cause intolerance and toxicity. The conventional malaria management technique is expensive, especially for low-income nations. Thus, alternative and additional treatments are needed. Due of their lower cost, adverse effects, and convenience, therapeutic plants may be available. The lack of study on antimalarial medicinal plants as effective and affordable pharmacotherapies reveals a research need. The current study studied Kakamega County medicinal plants' antiplasmodial and cytotoxic effects. Twenty adults, male and female, were asked about plant use. Statistics show 16 traditional medicine plant species. These plants were chosen for their uses and bibliographies. Biological investigations were performed on 16 plant leaves, barks, and roots. Materials were solvent-extracted and dried. Water provided the most plant extracts. Dichloromethane produced the least solvent. Water released the most plant extracts. Dichloromethane produced the least solvent. Leguminosae produced the most crops of the examined plant species. Senna didmobotrya and occidentalis yielded the most water, 12.6% and 11.6%. The highest methanol yield was 6.3% from Senna didmobotrya. Following closely was 6.2% Lantana trifolia L. The highest dichloromethane yields were 2.7% and 2.4% from Trichilia emetic and Spathodea campanulata. The aqueous extracts of three plant species shown significant antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium falciparum strain 3D7, with an IC50 value of ≤10 μg/ml. Three plant extracts were also effective against P. falciparum W2 strains. This study analyses plant species' antiplasmodial activity against 3D7 Plasmodium falciparum strains. Ten aqueous plant extracts shown moderate antiplasmodial activity (IC50 values: 11-49.9 μg/ml) against P. falciparum strains 3D7 and W2. The 3D7 strain demonstrated moderate antiplasmodial activity in 10 of 16 plants. Nine of 16 W2 samples demonstrated moderate antiplasmodial effectiveness. Two plant specimens did not inhibit Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 strain growth in lab trials. The only plant extract with modest W2 strain antiplasmodial activity was investigated. This extract was inactive against 3D7 strains, with an IC50 of ≥100 μg/ml. Inactive three people were exposed to W2 strains. Six of sixteen plant methanol extracts efficiently inhibited 3D7 bacteria. Methanol extract of the plant demonstrated significant antiplasmodial action against W2 mutant strain. Methanol-extracted plants demonstrated moderate antiplasmodial efficacy against the 3D7 strain in 6 of 16. Most methanol-extracted herbs (11/16) have modest antiplasmodial activity against W2. Three methanol-extracted plants have modest 3D7 strain antiplasmodial activity. W2 P. falciparum strains performed similarly in two experiments. Methanol extractions of 1 and 2 did not kill 3D7 or W2 strains. Dichloromethane leaf extracts from 16 plants inhibited 3D7 and W2. Six compounds strongly inhibited 3D7 strains. Four of sixteen tests revealed high W2 antiplasmodial activity. Five plants had moderate 3D7 antiplasmodial activity. A lot of samples have modest W2 activity. Four plants showed limited antiplasmodial activity against the 3D7 strain, but only two against the W2 strain. The plant had no 3D7 antiplasmodial action. dichloromethane-extracted compounds demonstrated no antiplasmodial action on W2. The results of this study offer significant insights for stakeholders who are interested in investigating the potential of herbal remedies as an alternate strategy for the treatment of malaria.