Effects of co-treatment of Plasmodium berghei-infected mice with aqueous extract of Ocimum gratissimum leaves and primaquine on glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity, hematological, and antioxidant parameters

Shedrach Kanu C; Chinyere Aloke; Nwabueze Elom I; Chinedum Eleazu O

doi:10.1016/j.jaim.2022.100656

Effects of co-treatment of Plasmodium berghei-infected mice with aqueous extract of Ocimum gratissimum leaves and primaquine on glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity, hematological, and antioxidant parameters

J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2022 Oct-Dec;13(4):100656. doi: 10.1016/j.jaim.2022.100656. Epub 2022 Nov 16.

Authors

Shedrach Kanu C¹, Chinyere Aloke², Nwabueze Elom I³, Chinedum Eleazu O⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biochemistry, Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Electronic address: shedy4success@yahoo.com.
² Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria; Protein Structure-Function and Research Unit, School of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2050, South Africa.
³ Department of Chemistry, Alex-Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.
⁴ Department of Biochemistry, Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.

Abstract

Background: It has been observed that most malaria patients especially G6PD-deficient patients usually experience oxidative stress and severe anemia when treated with primaquine. This calls for the need to search for a treatment option that will ameliorate these side effects.

Objective: The effect of co-treatment of malaria with aqueous extract of Ocimum gratissimum leaves (AEOGL) and primaquine on G6PD activity, antioxidant indices and hematological parameters in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice was investigated.

Materials and methods: Thirty mice divided into six groups of five mice each were recruited for this study. Whilst Group 1 (G1) served as the negative control (group not infected with plasmodium parasite), Groups 2 to 6 (G2-G6) were inoculated intraperitoneally with 0.2 ml of 1 × 10⁵/ml Plasmodium berghei (NK 65 strain) infected erythrocytes. G2 (parasite control) received no treatment. Groups 3,4,5 and 6 were administered 0.25 mg/kg bw of primaquine only; 100 mg/kg b. w of AEOGL +0.25 mg/kg bw of primaquine; 200 mg/kg b. w of AEOGL +0.25 mg/kg bw of primaquine; 200 mg/kg b. w of AEOGL respectively, for 14 days.

Results: Treatment with only primaquine gave the highest mean malaria parasite clearance (82.10 ± 0.45 percent), followed by 100 mg/kg b. w of AEOGL + Primaquine (75.59 ± 0.47 percent), 200 mg/kg b. w of AEOGL + Primaquine (67.35 ± 0.67 percent), and AEOGL alone (55 ± 0.56 percent). In comparison with the untreated malaria groups, co-treatment with AEOGL + Primaquine produced a significant (p < 0.05) increase in G6PD activity, serum ascorbate, reduced glutathione, catalase activity, and a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in malondialdehyde level in a dose-dependent pattern and also a significant (p < 0.05) rise in packed cell volume, haemoglobin, and red blood cell count, unlike treatment with only primaquine which resulted in a non-significant (P > 0.05) difference in these parameters.

Conclusion: Co-treatment of Plasmodium berghei-infected mice with AEOGL and primaquine improved the G6PD activity, hematological parameters and antioxidant status relative to treatment with only primaquine.

Keywords: Anti-malarials; Antioxidants; Erythrocytes; G6PD.