Abstract:
Plasmodium falciparum is becoming increasingly resistant to conventional antimalaria drugs. Rapid increase of
parasite resistant strains, resistance of the vector to insecticides and the difficulty in creating efficient vaccines
has lead to an urgent need for new anti-malarial drugs. To determine anti-plasmodial activity of Rubia cordifolia,
Harrizonia abyssinica, Sachus schweinfurthii and Leucas calostachys Olive plants. Aqueous and methanolic
crude extracts were prepared from R. cordifolia, H. abyssinica, S. schweinfurthii and L. calostachys plants. The
extracts were then prepared into appropriate concentrations for anti-plasmodial activities. In vitro anti-plamsodial
activities of herbal drugs were analysed according to the methods of Tona et al., 1999. Methanolic extracts were
more efficacious than aqueous extracts. S. schweinfurthii and L. calostachys had IC50 (Inhibition Concentration)
of between 1.10µg/ml and 3.45µg/ml and had highest parasite inhibition ranging between 3.5% and 5.2%. R.
cardifolia and H. abyssinica had IC50 of between 1.5µg/ml and 3.0µg/ml and it had moderate parasitaemia
ranging between 5.20% and 7.22%. Vernonia lasiopa and Erythrina abysinnica had insufficient yields. S.
schweinfurthii and L. calostachys had the highest parasite inhibition while R. cardifolia and H. abyssinica had
moderate inhibition.
