Antimalarial activity of extracts of Malaysian medicinal plants

In vitro and in vivo studies revealed that Malaysian medicinal plants, Pipe r sarmentosum, Andrographis paniculata and Tinospora crispa produced consid erable antimalarial effects. Chloroform extract in vitro did show better ef fect than the methanol extract. The chloroform extract showed complete para site growth inhibition as low as 0.05 mg/ml drug dose within 24 h incubatio n period (Andrographis paniculata) as compared to methanol extract of drug dose of 2.5 mg/ml but under incubation time of 48 h of the same plant spesi es. In vivo activity of Andrographis paniculata also demonstrated higher an timalarial effect than other two plant species. (C) 1999 Published by Elsev ier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.