Antimalarial Activity of the Fractions from Ethanol Extract of Strychnos ligustrina Blume. Wood

Background and Objective: This study identify the fraction contents from ethanol extract of Strychnos ligustrina Blume wood, their antimalarial activities and chemical compound of the antimalarial active fraction. Methodology: The ethanol extract was obtained from maceration with n-hexane, ethyl acetate and ethanol successively. The ethanol extract was fractionated using vacuum liquid chromatography column with combination of chloroform and methanol as eluent. These fractions were tested for their antimalarial properties by using in vitro against Plasmodium falciparum. The active antimalarial fraction was then chemically analyzed by using gas chromatography mass spectrometry instrument. Results: The fractionation of ethanol extract resulted in six fractions, namely F1, F2, F3, F4, F5 and F6 with fraction contents at 2.48, 0.89, 14.28, 22.34, 25.57 and 30.34%, respectively. The antimalarial bioassay test showed that F3 and F4 were very active with IC50 (1.99 and 0.39 μg mLG1, respectively) F1 was active with IC50 (81.04 μg mLG1) while, F2, F5 and F6 were inactive with IC50 (1581.60, 1123.22 and 81.04 μg mLG1, respectively). Gas chromatography mass spectrometry instrument detected the F3 contains alkaloids such as (phenylbenzo[f]1,7 naphthyridin-5-one (11.67%), 4-methyl-5-[3-trifluoromethylphenoxy]-6methoxy-8-nitroquinoline (5.21%) and phenolic compounds (coniferol 8.10%). The F4 is dominated by furan compounds (hydroxymethyl furfural 19.43%), phenolic (laminitol 19.43%), fatty acid (9,11-octadecadiynoic acid, 8-hydroxy-methylester 6.34%) and alkaloid (brucine 6.13%). Conclusion: Extractive substances of S. ligustrina wood were very potential sources for natural antimalarial drugs. Fractionation ethanol extract of S. ligustrina wood produced fraction F3 and F4 were very active in inhibiting the growth of P. falciparum. These results strongly suggested that F3 and F4 of S. ligustrina wood were potential sources for antimalarial agents. For future development, it is neccesary for further studies to obtain the antimalarial active compounds from fraction F3 and F4 as an alternative new malaria drugs as well as material alternative drug combinations with artemisinin to get the optimal treatment of malarial.