In vitro antiplasmodial activity of selected Luo and Kuria medicinal plants

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Drug resistance in malaria is a recurring subject that threatens public health globally. There is an urgent need to seek new antimalarial agents. This study seeking new antimalarials from medicinal plants is guided by ethnobotany. Materials and methods: Medicinal plants of the Luo and Kuria ethnic groups of Kenya with high usage reports were screened in vitro for their antiplasmodial activity using the SYBR Green I fluorescence assay (MSF assay). Results: The IC50's for drugs and total plant extracts ranged from 0.01217 to 10.679 mg/ml. Extracts were more active on chloroquine sensitive than resistant Plasmodium falciparum strains. Tylosema fassoglense, Ageratum conyzoides and Ocimum kilimandscharicum exhibited promising results. Plectranthus barbatus did not show activity. Conclusion: Ethnobotanical knowledge was sufficiently reliable for identifying plant extracts with antiplasmodial activity. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.