Abstract

A total of fourteen extracts with different polarity obtained from four species Crataeva religiosa, Baillonella toxisperma, Boswellia dalzielii and Khaya senegalensis, traditionally used in Benin to treat malaria were tested for their in vitro antiprotozoal activity towardsPlasmodium falciparum, Trypanosoma rhodesiense, Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania donovani. Selected plants were extracting with cyclohexane, methylene chloride, ethyl acetate, ether diethyl, methanol and ethanol. Tested extracts showed moderate to good antiparasitic effects at two different concentrations (9.6 and 1.6 µg/ml). Many extracts showed appreciable growth inhibition at 9.5 µg/ml. Ethanol extract of B. dalzielii was the most active against T. rhodesiense and L. donovani with growth inhibition percentage of 100 and 95.6%, respectively. Seven out of fourteen extracts also showed interesting growth inhibition percentage from 99 to 87%, on P. falciparum at 9.6 µg/ml. The most interesting activity against L. donovani was observed with the cyclohexane extract of C. religiosa with growth inhibition value of 55% at 1.6 µg/ml.

Key words: Traditional medicine, antimalarial, leishmanicidal, trypanocidal, Benin.