In vitro and in vivo antiplasmodial activity and cytotoxicity of water extracts of Phyllanthus emblica, Terminalia chebula, and Terminalia bellerica.

Objective: To evaluate the in vitro and in vivo antiplasmodial activity and the cytotoxicity of Phyllanthus emblica Linn, Terminalia chebula Retz, and Terminalia bellerica (Gaertn) Roxb extracts. Material and Method: Standard phytochemical screening tests were used to detect metabolites in the plant extract. The water extracts of medicinal plants were tested for their antiplasmodial activity in vitro by assessing their ability to inhibit the uptake of [ 3 H] hypoxanthine into the Plasmodium falciparum K1 multidrug-resistant strain. Cytotoxicity of all extracts was determined on Vero cell line. The in vivo antiplasmodial activity in Plasmodium berghei infected mice was evaluated by the standard 4day suppressive test. Results: Phytochemical screening of the water extracts of three plants revealed the presence of flavonoids, hydrolysable tannins, saponin and terpenes. All plant extracts showed antimalarial activity (IC 50 values ranging from 14.33 + 0.25-15.41 + 0.61 μg/ml). The water extract of Terminalia bellerica (Gaertn) Roxb had the highest in vitro antiplasmodial activity followed by Phyllanthus emblica Linn. and Terminalia chebula Retz. The cytotoxic activity was exhibited by all plant extracts on Vero cells with IC 50 values of 157.86 to 238.70 mg/ml. All of the plant extracts showed selectivity with the selectivity index (SI) ranged from 11 to 17. A standard 4-day suppressive test on P. berghei infected mice was used to evaluate the in vivo antiplasmodial activity of the extracts at 250 mg/kg/day. The results revealed that in vivo antiplasmodial activity with good suppression activity ranged from 53.40% to 69.46%. Conclusion: All of the plant extracts exhibited interesting in vitro and in vivo antiplasmodial activity with good selectivity.