Antimalarial Potency of Vernonia Amygdalina Ethanolic Extracts in the Prevention and Treatment of Plasmodium Berghei-Infected Mice

Objective: This study assessed the anti-malarial potency of Vernonia amygdalina ethanolic extracts (leaf and stem-bark) in the prevention and treatment of Plasmodium berghei-infected mice. Material and Methods: Fresh leaves and stem bark of Vernonia amygdalina were collected in Kurmi LGA, Taraba State, based on ethnobotanical guidance, and authenticated at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (voucher number 02006). Non-pregnant mice (20–35 g) were acclimatized at the Modibbo Adama University Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory, Yola, for 14 days before curative (70 mice) and prophylactic (40 mice) tests. Plant extracts were administered orally, and parameters such as parasitemia, body weight, temperature, packed cell volume (PCV), and mean survival time (MST) were monitored. Results: The leaf extract at 600 mg/kg demonstrated the highest parasitemia suppression (60.78%) with a significant increase in the MST of the infected mice. Similarly, the stem-bark extract at the same dose exhibited 60.62% parasitemia suppression, with the MST also significantly extended. In both cases, suppression rates and MST were dose-dependent, with higher doses providing better outcomes. The prophylactic test revealed that a dose of 200 mg/kg of leaf extract achieved 91.67% suppression of parasitemia, outperforming the stem-bark extract. The MST was significantly increased in all treated groups compared to the untreated controls. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that Vernonia amygdalina ethanolic extracts, particularly from the leaf, possess significant anti-malarial activity, supporting its potential use in malaria treatment. In addressing artemisinin resistance, Vernonia amygdalina extracts may exert their antiplasmodial effects through molecular mechanisms distinct from those targeted by artemisinin.