Comparison of antimalarial activity of the alkaloidal fraction of Hydrangea macrophylla var. Otaksa leaves with the hot-water extract in ICR mice infected with Plasmodium yoelii 17 XL.

The antimalarial activity of the fractions isolated from the leaves of Hydrangea macrophylla Seringe var. Otaksa Makino was evaluated against Plasmodium yoelii 17 XL in mice. Four different fractions were prepared in the usual manner to obtain an alkaloid fraction. All mice treated with the fraction containing febrifugine and isofebrifugine mixture at 1 mg/kg twice a day for 5 consecutive days survived during the experiment, and the change of mean parasitemia level showed almost the same pattern as that from mice treated with the hot-water extract of the same plant leaves. Activity of this fraction, however, was markedly reduced compared with the hot-water extract. Furthermore, no antimalarial activity was shown in the hotwater extract from H. macrophylla var. Otaksa roots or Dichroa febrifuga Lour. leaves. Copyright 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.