Asian Journal of Biology

This study investigated the effects of supplementation with a phenol-rich fraction of Musanga cecropioides (PRF-MC) on malaria and primaquine (PQ)-induced oxidative stress inSwiss albino mice. Plasmodium berghei infected mice were treated with PQ alone (0.25 mg/kg) and in combination with PRF-MC (200 and 400 mg/kg). The ethyl acetate fraction of the M. cecropioides methanol extract, which had the highest phenolic content, served as PRF-MC. Similar therapeutic effects were observed with PQ alone and PQ + 200 mg/kg PRF-MC. However, 400 mg/kg PRF-MC significantly antagonized PQ parasite clearance activity. Parasitemia significantly reduced antioxidant enzyme levels and total antioxidant status compared with the naïve uninfected control. PQ alone significantly reduced catalase and superoxide dismutase enzyme activities compared to the vehicle control. PRF-MC alone and in combination with PQ significantly increased these enzyme activities, reduced glutathione concentrations, and decreased lipid peroxidation compared to PQ alone. PRF-MC also improved the total antioxidant status in a dose-dependent manner. However, PRF-MC, both alone and with PQ, could not restore the red blood cell count, packed cell volume, and hemoglobin concentration to pre-infection levels. Furthermore, PRF-MC antagonized PQ parasite clearance activity, especially at higher doses, and decreased the body weight when combined with PQ. PRF-MC countered malaria and PQ-induced oxidative stress, but antagonized the therapeutic effect of PQ at higher doses. Careful dosing is essential when PRF–MC is combined with PQ.