Evaluation of In vitro Antimalarial Activity of Hedyotis Herbacea by Schizont Maturation Inhibition Assay

The present study was designed to evaluate in vitro antimalarial activity of different extracts of Hedyotis herbacea by schizont maturation inhibition assay. The preliminary phytochemical screening of different extracts of Hedyotis herbacea have shown the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, carbohydrates, saponins, tannins, cardiac glycosides, steroids and triterpenoids. The alkaloid contents in different extracts of Hedyotis herbacea were examined and expressed in terms of Atropine equivalent as mg of AE/g of extract. The ethyl acetate extract of Hedyotis herbacea has shown dose dependent % Inhibition of schizont maturation of Plasmodium falciparum and the highest in vitro antimalarial activity by schizont maturation inhibition assay indicated by IC50 = 55.50 μg/ml. All other extracts of Hedyotis herbacea had showed non-significant activity with IC50 > 100 μg/ml. Keywords: Hedyotis herbacea, Schizont maturation inhibition assay, Antimalarial activity