Antiplasmodial Effect of Ethanol Extract of Morinda lucida and Mucuna pruriens Leaves on NK65 Chloroquine Resistant Strain of Plasmodium berghei in Mice

The study evaluated the Antiplasmodial effect of ethanol extract of Morinda lucida (M.L) and Mucuna pruriens (M.P) leaves administered in combination on NK65 chloroquine resistant strain of Plasmodium berghei in mice. Chloroquine (CQ) and artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) were used as standard drugs while the drug vehicle (water) was used as the negative control. The experimental animals divided into 5 groups; group 1=Negative control (water), group 2=Chloroquine (10 mg/kg), group 3=ACT-Artemeter/Lumefantrine (20 mg/120 mg/kg), group 4=M.L +M.P (250 mg/kg), group 5=M.L+M.P (500 mg/kg). There was no decrease in percentage parasitemia of chloroquine treated group, however, there was a continuous significant decrease (p<0.05) in the group treated with ACT. Administration of M.L and M.P in sequence was found to be more effective at the dose of 500 mg/kg where it continuously and significantly decreased (p<0.05) the percentage parasitemia to <1%. The administration of the combined extracts of M. lucida and M. pruriens relatively maintained the Packed Cell Volume (PCV) and the body weight of the mice while reducing the level of parasitemia in them