Effect of Methanolic Leaf Extract of Carica papaya on Plasmodium berghei Infection in Albino Mice

Aim: The work was designed to investigate the antmalarial activity of methanolic leaf extract of Carica papaya on Plasmodium berghei NK65 strain infection in vivo.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry and National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Abuja, Nigeria, between August and October 2016.

Materials and Method: Twenty five mice were intraperitoneally infected with chloroquine sensitive P. berghei strain and shared into 5 equal groups. Group 1 mice were infected and administered only normal saline (negative control). Groups 2, 3 and 4 were treated, after infection, with 100, 200 and 400 mg extract/kg body weight of mouse respectively while group 5 was treated with 5 mg chloroquine /kg body weight. The phytochemical constituents of the plant extract were evaluated.

Result: The extract produced a dose dependent decrease in the level of parasitaemia when compared to the negative control group. Also, at doses of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg, the extract produced increase in body weight and PCV of the infected mice as compared to mice in the negative control group. Phytochemical screening showed that the leaf extract contains alkaloids, anthraquinones, tannins, flavonoids, saponins cardiac glycosides and steroids.

Conclusion: the methanolic leaf extract of Carica papaya presented a good effect on Plasmodium infection in mice and so could serve as a possible source of antimalarial compounds.