In vivo antimalarial activities of ethanolic crude extracts and fractions of leaf and root of Carpolobia lutea.

Carpolobia lutea (leaves and root) is used traditionally as malarial remedy by the Ibibios of Niger Delta of Nigeria and Benin. This study was aimed to investigate the antiplasmodial potentials of the crude leaf and root extracts of this plant as well as their fractions in vivo in Plasmodium berghei berghei-infected mice to give scientific proof to the ethnobotanical claims and correlate with the reported in vivo activity. The ethanolic extracts of Carpolobia lutea leaf (245-735 mg/kg/day) and root (7-21 mg/kg/day) were screened for blood plasmocidal activity against chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium berghei in mice. The antimalarial activity in 4-day and curative tests was evaluated. Carpolobia lutea leaf extract (245-735 mg/kg/day) and fractions exhibited significant (p<0.05-0.01) antiplasmodial activity both in 4-day early infection test and in established infection with a considerable mean survival time which was incomparable to that the standard drug, chloroquine (5 mg/kg/day). The root extract (7-21 mg/kg/day) and fractions also demonstrated a promising blood schizontocidal activity in early and established infections. These plant extracts and fractions possess considerable antiplasmodial activities which justify their use in ethnomedicine and can be exploited in the control of malaria.