Planta Med 2013; 79 - PA7
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1351911

Antimalarial activity of two spray dried formulations of Bildens pilosa L. based on Brazilian ethnopharmacology

TL Medeiros 1, CB Oliveira 1, DF Cortés-Rojas 2, ML Brandão 3, VF Andrade Neto 4, WP Oliveira 2
  • 1Laboratório de Biologia da Malária e Toxoplasmose, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazi
  • 2Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
  • 3Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
  • 4Laboratório de Biologia da Malária e Toxoplasmose, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil. Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Feder

Bidens pilosa L. (Asterarecae), a plant native of South America is employed in the Amazon region, for the treatment of malaria. This biological activity, seem to be associated to the presence of polyacetylenes and phenolic compounds as flavonoids (Brandão et al., 1997). According to World Health Organization, each year, occurs 219 million cases of malaria in the world resulting in about 660.000 deaths, mostly in children of low income countries (WHO, 2012). Medicines based on phytopharmaceutical preparations for treatment of endemic diseases such as malaria are interesting strategies justifying the research in this area. The spray drying technique have been successfully applied for the production of solid delivery systems containing plant extracts. The aim of this work was to evaluate the in vivo antimalarial activity of two spray dried formulations prepared with the hydroethanolic extract of roots of B. pilosa employing β-cyclodextrin and Aerosil:Microcrystalline celulose (MC) as carriers. Antimalarial activity was performed in mice infected with Plasmodium berghei, NK-65 by an approved ethical protocol. The presence of flavonoids and polyacetylens was monitored by high performance liquid chromatography. Results showed that the formulation containing Aerosil®:MC increased in 75% the mice survival, at a concentration of 150 mg/kg, the formulation containing β-cyclodextrin also increased the mice survival at all the doses tested being the concentration of 50 mg/kg the most effective with a 50% survival. Both formulations reduce parasitemia the 5th day compared with the control group. The preparations developed can be used as adjuvants for the treatment of malaria.

References:

[1] Brandão, M.G.L. et al. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, v. 57, p. 131 – 138, 1997.

[2] World Health Organization, World Malaria Report 2012, available online http://www.who.int/topics/malaria/en/

Acknowledgments: FAPESP (Process No. 2012 9890 – 6)