Antimalaria Effect of the Ethanolic Stem Bark Extracts of Ficus platyphylla Del

The antimalarial effect of the ethanolic stem bark extract of Ficus platyphylla Del was evaluated against Plasmodium berghei infection in mice. Nontreated, experimental control mice died of fulminant parasitemia from day 7 to 9 post-infection but mice treated with the extract at 300？mg/kg showed markedly reduced parasitaemia bouts of 43.50% and a mean survival time of 28 days postinfection. The plant extract prevented a drastic reduction in PCV showing its efficacy in ameliorating anaemic conditions in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice. Histological examination of liver tissues of treated and untreated mice further supports the antimalaria potential of this plant. This observation validates the traditional use of this plant for the treatment of malaria. 1. Introduction Malaria, a disease caused by Plasmodium species, is one of the oldest and greatest health challenges affecting 40% of the world’s population [1]. It affects 300–500 million people and kills 1.5–2.7 million people annually [2]. World Health Organization has estimated mortality rate of children less than 5 years in Nigeria to be 729 children per 100,000 children (Government in action report). The disease is a major obstacle to economic advancement of many developing and tropical nations posing people to poverty and disease. One of the areas for the search of new antimalarials is the use of traditionally claimed antimalarial plant from the African flora [3, 4]. Ficus platyphylla Del belongs to the family Moraceae; its common name is broad leaf fig. The stem bark of Ficus platyphylla is used traditionally to treat malaria in Africa [5] and in treating tuberculosis [6]. The extracts of Ficus platyphylla have also been reported to inhibit gastrointestinal motility [7]. It has been reported to possess analgesic [8], anti-inflammatory, and anticonceptive activities [9]. Previous reports have shown that Ficus sycomorus L possesses antimalaria potentials against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro [10]. Medicinal plants have been the focus for the search of new antimalaria drugs in various parts of the world [11] and the present global situation indicates a recent resurgence in the severity of malaria, due to the resistance of malaria parasites to mainstay antimalaria drugs [12]. Hence, there is need to intensify research in the development of new, cheap and effective antimalaria drugs from medicinal plants. We began to investigate in rodent malaria models the antimalarial activity of Ficus platyphylla used experientially as ingredients in the traditional remedies for malaria in Africa and have evaluated