Investigation of antiplasmodial compounds from two plants, Cochlospermum tinctorium A. rich and Gardenia sokotensis Hutch

Efforts in malaria treatment are currently directed towards the discovery and development of new antimalarial compounds. In this way two plants Cochlospermum tinctorium A. Rich. (Cochlospermaceae) and Gardenia sokotensis Hutch (Rubiaceae) traditionally used to treat symptoms of malaria in Burkina Faso were screened for antimalarial activity in vivo with Plasmodium berghei. Dichloromethane extract of Cochlospermum tinctorium and dichloromethane-methanol (7/3v/v) of Gardenia sokotensis showed a promising in vivo antiplasmodial activity with 50% effective dose of 17.59 mg/kg and 115 mg/kg respectively. Water extracts from the two plants showed an interesting antiplasmodial activity of Cochlospermum tinctorium and a weak activity for Gardenia sokotensis. Paradoxically chromatographic fractions issued from the active crude extract of Cochlospermum tinctorium appear less active. The fraction FGs2 of Gardenia has showed a pronounced activity with 42% inhibition rate at 50 mg /kg. These results reflected in part the previous in vitro studies conducted on the two plants. Phytochemical screening revealed mostly the presence of triterpenes, carotenoids and flavonoids more or less in pure state. Keywords: Cochlospermum tinctorium; Gardenia sokotensis; Malaria; Plasmodium berghei African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines Vol. 3(4) 2006: 34-4