Antimalarial Efficacy, Safety, and Phytochemical Composition of Hydroethanolic Crude Extracts from Securidaca longepedunculata Fresen. (Polygalaceae)

• Published in: Biomedical and Biotechnology Research Journal Vol. 9; no. 3; pp. 233 - 239
• Main Author: Nguta, Joseph Mwanzia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Wolters Kluwer - Medknow 01.07.2025; Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd
• Edition: 2
• Subjects: Analysis; Bioflavonoids; Cancer; Chemotherapy; Drug therapy; Flavones; Flavonoids; Malaria; Medicinal plants; Medicine, Botanic; Medicine, Herbal; Original Article; Plant metabolites; Saponins; Kenya; South Africa; Switzerland; Antimalarial; secondary metabolites; safety; efficacy; hydroethanolic extracts
• ISSN: 2588-9834; 2588-9842
• DOI: 10.4103/bbrj.bbrj_174_25

Background: Securidaca longepedunculata Fresen. (Polygalaceae) is a medicinal plant with a long history of use in African traditional medicine to treat malaria. Methods: Hydroethanolic crude extracts (50% ethanol) from roots, stems, and leaves of S. longepedunculata were used in the ethnopharmacological investigation. The classical 4-day suppressive test was utilized to investigate in vivo antimalarial activity in Swiss albino mice at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight against chloroquine (CQ) sensitive Plasmodium berghei. Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation guidelines were used to investigate in vivo toxicity in mice. The tetrazolium salt (MTT) colorimetric method was used to evaluate cytotoxicity. Results: Hydroethanolic root extract exhibited exciting chemo-suppressive activity of activities of 92.56%, compared to the CQ chemosuppressive activity of 96.99%. The observed activity from the hydroethanolic root extract was not significantly different from that of CQ (P < 0.05). The root, stem, and leaf hydroethanolic crude extracts were not toxic to mice at a dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight. Analyses of secondary metabolites identified flavonoids, triterpenoids, alkaloids, saponins, and anthraquinones. Conclusion: Observations from the current study validated anecdotal efficacy of S. longepedunculata against malaria as reported by the South coast communities, while demonstrating its potential as a source of bioactive antimalarial compounds.