In vitro antiplasmodial activity of ethnobotanically selected plants from Burkina Faso

Ethnopharmacological survey conducted in Burkina Faso allowed us to identify 72 vegetal species used in traditional medicine to treat malaria. From these 72 species, we selected 13 plants which seemed particularly interesting to investigate for their antiplasmodial properties.

The in vitro antiplasmodial activity of methanolic and dichloromethane extracts obtained from 17 samples collected in Burkina Faso was evaluated on the Plasmodium faciparum 3D7 Chloroquino-sensitive strain using colorimetric method [1]. Twelve extracts were found to have antiplasmodial activity with IC50 <50µg/ml. Among them, 6 extracts obtained from Dicoma tomentosa whole plant, Psorospermum senegalense leaves, Gardenia sokotensis leaves, Bergia suffruticosa whole plant and Boswellia dalzielli leaves display good to high antiplasmodial activity with IC50 ranging from 7.0 to 19.5µg/ml. The best antiplasmodial results were obtained with Psorospermum senegalense dichloromethane extract (IC 50=10.02±2.00µg/ml) and with Dicoma tomentosa extracts with IC's 50 of 7.04±1.15 and 7.90±0.26 for methanolic and dichloromethane extract, respectively.

From our five most active plants, only Gardenia sokotensis had already shown in vivo antiplasmodial activity [2] but it is the first report of antiplasmodial activity for Psorospermum senegalense, Bergia suffruticosa, Boswellia dalzielli and Dicoma tomentosa.

Acknowledgements: This research was supported by the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research (FNRS – grant N. 3452005). M.F. is a research associate from the FNRS.

References: 1. Kenmogne, M. et al. (2006) Phytochemistry, 67: 433–438

2. Traoré, M. et al. (2006) African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines 3: 34–41