Chemical composition and antimalarial activity of extracts of Sudanese Tamarindus indica L. (Fabaceae)

Tamarindus indica L. (Asteraceae) is a multipurpose tree, either nutritional or medicinal and grows wild throughout Sudan and other parts of the world. The plant fruits are claimed for their antimalarial activity and treatment of fever and gastrointestinal disorders. Crude 96% ethanolic and water extracts in addition to hexane, chloroform, methanol and water successive extracts were prepared to assess their antiplasmodial activity. The chloroform successive extract exhibited the highest activity (IC50= 34.8 g/mL) and was subjected for GC-MS analysis. It was composed of aliphatic saturated alcohols (12.15%), aliphatic saturated fatty acids and their derivatives (17.41%) phenolic compounds (2.67%); aromatic acids (0.58%); -sitosterol (2.33%) and the most dominant compound 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (30.74%). The activity may be due to one or a combination of these constituents and further studies should be done to spot more light on the observed antimalarial activity and chemical composition of the chloroform extract.