Abstract

Chloroform extracts of Artemisia maciverae and Artemisia maritima (whole plants) were tested in vivo for anti-malarial activity in Swiss albino mice experimentally infected with chloroquine resistant Plasmodium berghei NK 65 at a dose of 100 mg/kg. The 2 plant extracts showed high anti-malarial activity. The parasitemia in the infected mice treated with the extracts were significantly reduced (P < 0.05) when compared with the untreated negative control and the pre-treatment period (Day 0). The plant extracts were also screened for phytochemicals and secondary metabolites. Some phytochemicals like flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids, tannins, phlobatannins, alkaloids and anthraqinones were  detected in the two plant extracts. The anti-malarial activity of these extracts might be attributed to these phytochemicals/secondary metabolites. This study suggests that antiplasmodial activity of  Artemisia may be widely distributed within the genus.

Key words: Malaria therapy, Plasmodium berghei, Artemisia maciverae, Artemisia maritima, medicinal plants.