In vitro antiplasmodial activity and cytotoxicity of ethnobotanically selected Ivorian plants.

Eight extracts from four Ivorian medicinal plants, traditionally used to treat malaria, were tested for their antiplasmodial activity in vitro by assessing their ability to inhibit the uptake of [3H]hypoxanthine into the Plasmodium falciparum K1 chloroquine-resistant strain. The most active extract was the methylene chloride extract of Anogeissus leiocarpus which exhibited an IC(50) value of 3.8 micro g/ml. Inhibition of the growth of Plasmodium falciparum was also observed with the methylene chloride extract of Cochlospermum planchonii and Microdesmis keayana as well as with both methylene chloride and methanolic extracts of Hymenocardia acida.