In vitro antiplasmodial effect of ethanolic extracts of coastal medicinal plants along Palk Strait against Plasmodium falciparum

Objective:To identify the possible anliplasmodial compounds from Achyranlhes aspera（A. aspera）.Acalypha indica（A.indica）,Jatropha glandulifera（J.glanduUfera）and Phyllanlhus amarus（P.amarus）.Methods:The A.aspera,A.indica,J.glandulifera and P.ainarus were collected along Palk Strait and the extraction was carried out in ethanol.The filter sterilized extracts（100,50,25,12.5,6.25 and 3.125μg/mL） of leaf,stem,root and flower extracts of A aspera,A. indica,J.glandulifera and P.amarus were tested for anliplasmodial activity against Plasnuxlium falciparum.The potential extracts were also tested for their phytochemical constituents.Results: Of the selected plants species parts,the stem extract of A.indica showed excellent antiplasmodial activity(IC;=43.81μg/mL) followed by stem extract of J.glandulifera(IC;= 49.14μg/mL).The stem extract of A.aspera,leaf and root extracts of A.indka,leaf,root and seed extracts of J. glanduUfera and leaf and stem extracts of P.amarus showed IC;,values between 50 and 100 μg/ mL.Statistical analysis revealed that,significant antiplasmodial activity（P<0.0l） was observed between the concentrations and time of exposure.The chemical injury to erythrocytes was also carried out and it showed that there were no morphological changes in erythrocytes by the elhanolic extract of all the tested plant extracts.The in vitro antiplasmodial activity might be due to the presence of alkaloids,glycosides,flavonoids.phenols,saponins,triterpenoids,proteins, and lannins in the elhanolic extracts of tested plants.Conclusions:The elhanolic stem extracts of P.amarus and J.glandulifera possess lead compounds for the development of antiplasmodial drugs.