Antimalarial Activity of Crude Extract and Solvent Fractions of Leaves of Solanum nigrum L. (Solanaceae) against Plasmodium berghei in Mice

Background. Current malaria treatment is associated with continued development of drug resistance. Thus, there is a need to develop safe and effective new treatments from different sources. Solanum nigrum L. (Solanaceae) is a plant used for the treatment of malaria in Ethiopian traditional medicine. This study was aimed at evaluating of antimalarial activity of the crude extract and fractions of S. nigrum L. (Solanaceae) leaves against P. berghei infection in mice. Method. Both prophylactic and suppressive models were used in evaluating antimalarial activity using the ANKA Plasmodium strain. In these models, male mice were randomly grouped into eleven groups (n = 5). Mice in group I were given 4% Tween-80, mice from group II up to X were given 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg of plant extract, and the last group (XI) was treated with chloroquine (25 mg/kg). Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by post hoc Tukey’s multiple comparison test. Results. Crude extract of leaves of S. nigrum showed chemosuppression of 30.68 (P