Contraceptive, estrogenic and anti-estrogenic potentials of methanolic root extract of Carpolobia lutea in rodents.

Several plants are used in herbal medicine for family planning. Carpolobia lutea is a medicinal plant in South Eastern Nigeria used for family planning. The study was designed to investigate the contraceptive, estrogenic and antiestrogenic potentials of the methanolic root extract of Carpolobia lutea in both rats and mice. The contraceptive effect of extract (7 - 21mg/kg) administered by intraperitoneal route for four days in divided doses was tested in mice and rats. Sexually-active males were introduced on day 5 at the ratio of 3F:1M and kept with these females till the end of the experiment. Investigations on the estrogenic and antiestrogenic property of the extract (7-21mg/kg) were done in immature rats that had undergone surgical removal of both ovaries. The effects of the extract (vaginal opening, vaginal cornification, uterine wet weight) were compared with 17-beta-estradiol (0.1µg/rat/day) as standard drug. Twenty-four hours later, the animals were sacrificed following the last dose and the weights of uterus, kidney, liver and small intestine were recorded. The extract prevented conception in both mice and rats for two gestational periods. Significant changes (p<0.05-0.001) were observed in the length and weight of pups relative to control. There were no abnormalities observed in the pups over thirty days. In ovariectomized immature young rats, the extract showed estrogenic effect (vaginal opening, vaginal cornification and increased uterine wet weight) in low doses while in high doses, it showed anti-estrogenic effect. These findings agree with the traditional use of Carpolobia lutea in the control of fertility. The contraceptive property of the extract may be associated with the direct effects of its chemical constituents.

In vivo antimalarial activities of ethanolic crude extracts and fractions of leaf and root of Carpolobia lutea.

Carpolobia lutea (leaves and root) is used traditionally as malarial remedy by the Ibibios of Niger Delta of Nigeria and Benin. This study was aimed to investigate the antiplasmodial potentials of the crude leaf and root extracts of this plant as well as their fractions in vivo in Plasmodium berghei berghei-infected mice to give scientific proof to the ethnobotanical claims and correlate with the reported in vivo activity. The ethanolic extracts of Carpolobia lutea leaf (245-735 mg/kg/day) and root (7-21 mg/kg/day) were screened for blood plasmocidal activity against chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium berghei in mice. The antimalarial activity in 4-day and curative tests was evaluated. Carpolobia lutea leaf extract (245-735 mg/kg/day) and fractions exhibited significant (p<0.05-0.01) antiplasmodial activity both in 4-day early infection test and in established infection with a considerable mean survival time which was incomparable to that the standard drug, chloroquine (5 mg/kg/day). The root extract (7-21 mg/kg/day) and fractions also demonstrated a promising blood schizontocidal activity in early and established infections. These plant extracts and fractions possess considerable antiplasmodial activities which justify their use in ethnomedicine and can be exploited in the control of malaria.

Report: In vitro antimicrobial activities of extracts of Carpolobia lutea root.

Several plants are used in folk medicine to treat infections. Carpolobia lutea, G.Don (Polygalaceae) is a medicinal plant commonly used by herbalists in Southern Nigeria against dental and genitourinary infections. The study was to evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial activities of n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of Carpolobia lutea root. Four typed cultures of bacteria namely, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and two clinical strains of fungi, namely Candida albicans and Tinea capitis were analyzed using agar well diffusion method. The extracts that showed antimicrobial activity were then tested to determine the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration for each bacterial or fungal sample.The ethyl acetate extract gave the widest zone of inhibition (21.0 mm) followed by chloroform when tested on E. coli. No inhibition was observed with E.Coli. None of the extracts showed any inhibitory effect against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the fungal strains of Candida albicans and Tinea capitis. The most potent of these extracts was Chloroform extract with Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of 25 mg/ml for bacteria. The phytochemical screening of the root of C. lutea revealed the presence of saponins, anthraquinones, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, simple sugar and terpenes.

In vivo antimalarial activity of ethanolic leaf extract of Stachytarpheta cayennensis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the in vivo antiplasmodial activity of the ethanol leaf extract of Stachytarpheta cayennensis in the treatment of various ailment in Niger Delta region of Nigeria, in Plasmodium berghei infected mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The ethanolic leaf extract of Stachytarpheta cayennensis (90-270 mg/kg/day) was screened for blood schizonticidal activity against chloroquine sensitive Plasmodium berghei berghei in mice. The schizonticidal effect during early and established infections was investigated. RESULT: Stachytarpheta cayennensis (90-270 mg/kg/day) exhibited significant (P< 0.05) blood schizonticidal activity both in 4-day early infection test and in established infection with a considerable mean survival time comparable to that of the standard drug, chloroquine, 5 mg/kg/day. CONCLUSION: The leaf extract possesses significant (P< 0.05) antiplasmodial activity which confirms it's use in folkloric medicine in the treatment of malaria.