Evaluation of the Effect of Combining Artemether Lumefantrine with Hippocratea africana and Eremomastax speciosa Extracts on Malaria Parasite Using Infected Adult Mice

The high burden of malaria in most parts of the world led to the recommended use of Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) by WHO, with varying degree of success. The effect of combining Artemether Lumefantrine with Hippocratea africana and Eremomastax speciosa leaves extract on the serum protein of Plasmodium berghei of infected adult albino Wistar Mice was evaluated. Fifty (50) albino mice with weight between 19-25 g were randomly selected into ten (10) groups of five (5) animals each. Group I animals were administered distilled water (normal control) and group II animals were parasitized with Plasmodium berghei and administered 1 ml of distilled water (parasitized control). Group III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX and X were the test groups and were administered 3 mg/kg body weight of Artemether-Lumefantrine (Coartem-ACT) for 3 days; 300 mg/kg body weight of Eremomastax speciosa leaf extract, 200 mg/kg body weight of Hippocratea africana root bark extract f, combination of ACT + Eremomastax speciosa leaf extract, combination of ACT + Hippocreatea africana root back extract, combination of ACT + Hippocreatea africana root back extract + Eremomastax speciosa leaf extract, combination of ACT and Eremomastax speciosa, combination of ACT + Hippocratea africana root bark extract for 10days respectively. The result of the study showed a significant (P≤0.05) increase in Serum total protein concentrations in test group VIII compared with test groups I and VI, while a significant (P≤0.05) increase in globulin was observed in test group VIII compared with group II, and a non- significant decrease (P≥0.05) in albumin was observed in test groups VIII compared with group I. These results showed an increase in serum proteins from combined administration of ACT + anti-plasmodial herb (Hippocratea africana root bark extract) and Eremomastax speciosa leaf extract. This may imply that the combined administration of the two herbal extracts with ACT has an added advantage to the anti-plasmodial effect in the management of malaria infection due to the ability of the ACT and the alkaloidal property of Hippocratea africana root bark extract to suppress the malaria and the flavonoid property of Eremomastax speciosa leaf extract to boost Red Blood Cells destroyed by the parasite.