Ethnobotanical database based screening and identification of potential plant species with antiplasmodial activity against chloroquine-sensitive(3D7) strain of Plasmodium falciparum

Objective: To evaluate the antiplasmodial activity of aqueous-methanolic plant extracts of nine plant species selected, based on ethnobotanical data. Methods: Based on ethnobotanical database, the selected plants were tested for their antiplasmodial activity against chloroquinesensitive(3 D7) strain of Plasmodium falciparum. Qualitative tests and high performance thin layer chromatography analysis were carried out to explore the phytocomponents present in the plant extracts. 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl antioxidant activity was also determined to check the antioxidant activity of the plant extracts. Results: Moringa oleifera(IC: 3.906 μg/mL),Acalypha indica(IC: 3.906 μg/mL), Hyptis suaveolens(IC: 3.906 μg/mL), Mangifera indica(IC: 4.150 μg/mL) and Averrhoa bilimbi(IC: 4.881 μg/mL) showed very good antiplasmodial activity. Conclusions: Crude extracts of Mangifera indica and Hyptis suaveolens demonstrated the most efficacious antimalarial activity. A bioassay-guided fractionation of these extracts to identify the lead compound is proved to be useful. The results validate the traditional use of the selected plants as antimalarials.