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.