N'Dribala (Cochlospermum planchonii) versus chloroquine for treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria

J Ethnopharmacol. 2003 Nov;89(1):111-4. doi: 10.1016/s0378-8741(03)00277-0.

Abstract

The aim of this work was to assess the efficacy of oral N'Dribala (tuberous roots decoction of Cochlospermum planchonii Hook) treatment versus chloroquine in non-severe malaria. The study included 85 patients with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum infection in Banfora, Burkina Faso. Forty-six patients that received N'Dribala beverage were compared to 21 patients treated with chloroquine. All patients were monitored with clinical examination and a parasitemia control by Giemsa-stained thick films. N'Dribala appeared safe and statistically as efficient as chloroquine for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria. At day 5 (D5), 57% of chloroquine-treated and 52% of N'Dribala-treated patients were cured with no detectable parasitemia (parasite density (Pd): 0) and more than 90% of whole patients were asymptomatic. N'Dribala is easily available in this country, cheap, without significant side effects and efficient with a clearly demonstrated activity on Plasmodium falciparum blood stages. This study enhances the traditional use of the Cochlospermum planchonii as alternative therapy for treatment of non-severe malaria.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Controlled Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Antimalarials / therapeutic use*
  • Bixaceae*
  • Child
  • Chloroquine / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Malaria, Falciparum / drug therapy*
  • Malaria, Falciparum / parasitology
  • Male
  • Medicine, African Traditional
  • Middle Aged
  • Phytotherapy*
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use
  • Plant Roots

Substances

  • Antimalarials
  • Plant Extracts
  • Chloroquine