Journal of
Medicinal Plants Research

  • Abbreviation: J. Med. Plants Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1996-0875
  • DOI: 10.5897/JMPR
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 3830

Full Length Research Paper

Synergism of artemisinin with abyssinone –V from Erythrina abyssinica (Lam. ex) against Plasmodium falciparum parasites: A potential anti-malarial combination therapy

J. S. Kebenei1*, P. K. Ndalut2 and A. O. Sabah3
1Department of Chemistry, Kabarak University, P. O. Box 3270, Nakuru, Kenya. 2Department of Chemistry, Moi University, P. O. Box 1125, Eldoret, Kenya. 3Centre for Biotechnology Research and Development, Kenya medical Research Institute, P. O. Box 54840, Nairobi 00200, Kenya.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 02 January 2011
  •  Published: 18 April 2011

Abstract

Plasmodium falciparum in vitro drug sensitive study was conducted in order to evaluate artemisinin in combination with potential anti-malarial drug from the stem bark of Erythrina abyssinica. Abyssinone-v was isolated and thus identified as a potential partner for a fixed combination therapy. Bioassay guided chromatographic separation of Ethyl acetate extract of Erythrina abyssinica led to the isolation of Abyssinone-v with IC50 value of 3.19 µg/ml against chloroquine-sensitive (D6) P. falciparum parasites. The structure of abyssinone-v was determined using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectroscopic technique. The interaction of artemisinin and abyssinone-v was analyzed using combination ratios of 10:90 to 90:10 respectively against P. falciparum parasites. This led to the identification of anti-malarial combination therapy of artemisinin and abyssinone-v with sum of fraction inhibiting concentration (FIC) of 0.79 at a ratio of 2:3, respectively.

 

Key words: Erythrina Abyssinica, Plasmodium falciparum, abyssinone-v, artemisinin and combination therapy.