Standardization of Cassia spectabilis DC leaves and antimalarial activities of ethyl acetate extract

Abstract

One of the Indonesian medicinal plants, Cassia spectabilis is traditionally used to treat several diseases, including malaria. The quality of raw materials influences the quality of drug derived from a plant. Standardizing the raw materials followed by the antimalarial activity test are needed to azure the quality of product prepared from plants. The aim of this study was to standardize the quality of C. spectabilis leaves and to evaluate the antimalarial activities of ethyl acetate extract. The fresh material of C. spectabilis leaves was observed in its specific and non-specific parameters. In vitro test was done by using Plasmodium falciparum 3D7. In vivo test was done using a 4-day suppressive test method against mice infected with P. berghei for four consecutive days. Heme detoxification inhibitory activity test was carried out using the modified Basilico method. The leaves of C. spectabilis meet the quality requirement for raw materials of traditional medicine. The ethyl acetate extract showed in vitro antiplasmodial activity against P. falciparum 3D7 and in vivo antimalarial activity against P. berghei infection with an IC50 value of 27.28 μg/mL and ED50 value of 1.74 mg/kg, respectively. The extract also showed heme detoxification inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 0.33±0.01 mg/mL. The leaves of C. spectabilis meet the quality requirement, and the ethyl acetate extract from standardized C. spectabilis leaves possessed a potential antimalarial activity that deserves to be further developed.