Antimalarial Efficacy of Azadirachta indica (Neem) and Nigella sativa (Black Seed) Seed Extracts in Mice Infected with Plasmodium berghei

Abstract

Malaria continues to persist as a deadly parasitic infection transmitted by insects with a significant proportion of the deaths and burden accounted for in sub-Saharan Africa. Although several measures such as vector control and chemotherapy have been used in control, the disease still persist. One of the major setbacks to chemotherapy is that the Plasmodium Spp. are developing resistance to the currently used antimalarials. This study assessed the antiplasmodial potential of Azadiracta indica and Nigella sativa ethanol seed extracts against Plasmodium berghei-infected mice models. The treatments were administered separately in concentrations of 200,400 and 600mg/kg body weight and compared against a standard antimalaria drug (artemether). The findings revealed that, both extracts possessed Phytoactive compounds with antimalarial potentials and showed incremental effect on parasitaemia level with increasing concentrations of administration. Although, A. indica extract reduced parasitaemia to levels significantly (p<0.05) lower (0.78±0.08) than the positive control (14.53±0.58), the observed difference was however comparable (p>0.05) to that observed using N. sativa (2.57±0.86), and the standard drug (0.53±0.0.07). Additionally, the extracts exhibited moderate restorative effects on haematological parameters compromised by malaria infection, including PCV, Hb, and RBC counts. Furthermore, it was observed that the extracts were safe at doses up to 5000 mg/kg, with no observed toxicity. Therefore, it is suggested that both extracts possess anti-plasmodial effects that would benefit pharmacological development. Thus, necessitating further studies to identify the active compounds in the plants that were effective against the parasites and study their mechanism of actions.