Scientists identify an effective malaria remedy in an overlooked African tree

Researchers have established that the leaves of the Syzygium guineense, also known as the waterberry tree, contained anti-malarial activity, in line with its traditional use in preventing and treating malaria. The study, published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, looked at how the leaf extract of S. guineense in mice infected with malaria.

• For the study, mice were inoculated with the malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei. The mice were then randomly assigned to control groups (both positive and negative) and plant extract groups (at 200, 400, and 600 mg per kilogram of body weight, respectively).
• Researchers evaluated parameters such as parasitemia, survival time, and body weight using four-day suppressive, Rane’s, and repository tests.
• The findings revealed that S. guineense crude leaf extract demonstrated significant dose-dependent schizontocidal activity in both the curative and repository assays.
• S. guineense crude leaf extract was also able to suppress parasite activity in a four-day suppressive test with a chemosupressive value of 59.39 and 49.09 percent, respectively.
• S. guineense crude leaf extract also prevented the loss of body weight, and it prolonged the survival date of the mice.
• After being subjected to a chemical assay, S. guineense crude leaf extract was revealed to contain terpenoids, alkaloids, triterpenes, flavonoids, anthraquinones, tannins, glycosides, saponins, and phenols.

Researchers concluded the S. guineense leaf extract could be used as a safe, effective, and affordable anti-malarial agent.

Find the full text of the study at this link.

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Journal Reference:

Tadesse SA, Wubneh ZB. ANTIMALARIAL ACTIVITY OF SYZYGIUM GUINEENSE DURING EARLY AND ESTABLISHED PLASMODIUM INFECTION IN RODENT MODELS. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2017;17(1). DOI: 10.1186/s12906-016-1538-6