Evaluating the Antimalarial, Analgesic, and Hepatoprotective Effects of Justicia carnea Leaf Extract in Wistar Mice: A Comprehensive Biomedical Assessment

Background: Malaria is caused by the parasite Plasmodium. The greatest impact of malaria is felt in sub-Saharan Africa, with 90% of the estimated 212 million worldwide cases occurring in Africa. Although malaria is a curable disease, early diagnosis is important in obtaining treatment. However, drug resistance has drastically increased in recent years, especially for Plasmodium falciparum infections. Aim: This study was designed to investigate the antimalarial and analgesic activities of aqueous extract of Justicia carnea on Wistar mice models. Methods: Twenty-four Wistar mice were obtained, and twenty of these were inoculated with 0.2ml of blood infected with 1×107 Plasmodium berghei (NK 65 strain). Infection was confirmed on day 3 prior to treatment with 500mg/kg b.wt and 1000mg/kg b.wt of the plant extract. The tail flick method using radiant heat was used for determining analgesic properties. In the protocol, twenty (20) Wistar mice were divided into 5 groups of 4 mice each. Pain was induced with infrared heat. Three days post treatment, the animals were anaesthetized and blood obtained by cardiac puncture for haematological and biochemical investigation. Data were analysed with Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS version 20). Values are reported as Mean ± Standard Error of Mean (mean ± SEM). Using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Tukey-Kramer post-Hoc test for multiple comparisons. Results: Justicia carnea extract showed a significant parasitemia reduction at both tested doses. The extract-treated groups showed a significant(p<0.05) decrease in the activities of AST, ALT and ALP. The level of total protein and albumin of the treated groups was lowered compared to the negative control. The PCV level, haemoglobin concentration, and RBC count of the extract-treated groups were significantly (p<0.05) elevated compared to the parasitised-only group. The ESR of the parasitised group was significantly(p<0.05) elevated. The tail flick test for analgesic property for the group treated with 1000mg/kg b.wt of the plant extract had a peak reaction at 150 and 180 minutes. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that although the aqueous leaf extract of Justicia carnea demonstrated a relatively high anti-malarial property, it did not elicit any significant analgesic action.