In vitro antiplasmodial activity and phytochemical screening of crude extracts of Senna sieberiana DC. (Fabaceae), plant used in traditional medicine

Medicinal plants contain many phytocompounds whose properties are recognized to prevent or treat various diseases including malaria. This study was conducted to evaluate the antiplasmodial activity and determine the phytochemical composition of different extracts of the leaves of Senna sieberiana DC., a plant used in traditional medicine to treat malaria. The schizonticidal activity of the extracts was measured in vitro by the Syber Green fluorimetric method, on clinical isolates and on the reference strains NF54 and K1 of Plasmodium falciparum. Of the three types of extracts (macerated, decocted and methanolic) tested, the methanolic extract of the leaves was found to be highly active both on clinical isolates and on the strains NF54 and K1 of P. falciparum with IC50 values ≤ 5 µg/mL. The tested leaf extracts of Senna sieberiana all contained polyterpenes and sterols, polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids and tannins. The methanolic extract of this plant could be a candidate for the formulation of an effective MTA against malaria.