Author(s)

M. Tshodi Ehata¹, S. Nsaka Lumpu¹, C. Kikweta Munduku¹, O. Kambu Kabangu¹, P. Cos², L. Maes², S. Apers³, A. J. Vlietinck³, L. Pieters³, R. Cimanga Kanyanga^1,3*

¹Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
²Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, University of Antwerp, Universisteitsplein 1, Antwerpen, Belgium.
³Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Laboratory of Natural Products & Food-Research and Analysis (NatuRa), University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Antwerpen, Belgium.

Results from the in vitro evaluation of the antiparasitaire activity of the aqueous extract, the 80% methanol extract and its fractions from the leaves of Brucea sumatrana against Trypanosoma brucei brucei, T. cruzi, Leishmania infantum, the multidrug-resistant K1 and chloroquine-sensitive NF54 strains of Plasmodium falciparum indicated that all samples from the leaves extract presented interesting antiparasitaire activity at different extents. The 80% methanol extract, its chloroform acid, petroleum ether and 80% methanol soluble fractions and the aqueous extract exhibited strong activity against Trypanosoma b. brucei, T. cruzi, L. infantum and the multidrug-resistant K1 strain of P. falciparum with IC₅₀ values from <0.25 to 4.35 μg/ml as well as against chloroquine-sensitive NF54 strain of P. falciparum with IC₅₀ values ranging from <0.02 to 2.0.4 μg/ml. Most samples were cytotoxic against MRC-5 cell lines (0.2 < cytotoxic concentration 50(CC₅₀) < 34.24 μg/ml) and showed good selective effect against all tested parasites. In acute toxicity, the aqueous extract was found to be non-toxic and its LD₅₀ was estimated to be greater than 5 g/kg. In addition, it did not significantly modify the concentration levels of some evaluated biochemical and hematological parameters in treated rats. These results constitute a scientific validation supporting and justifying the traditional use of the leaves of B. sumatrana for the treatment of malaria, sleeping sickness and at some extent Chagas disease.

Brucea sumatrana, Simaroubaceae, Leaves, Extracts, Antiprotozoal Activity, Cyto-toxic Activity, Acute Toxicity

Ehata, M. , Lumpu, S. , Munduku, C. , Kabangu, O. , Cos, P. , Maes, L. , Apers, S. , Vlietinck, A. , Pieters, L. and Kanyanga, R. (2016) Study of Antiparasitic and Cytotoxicity of the Aqueous, the 80% Methanol Extract and Its Fractions, and the Acute Toxicity of the Aqueous Extract of Brucea sumatrana (Simaroubaceae) Leaves Collected in Mai-Ndombe, Democratic Republic of Congo. Chinese Medicine, 7, 93-109. doi: 10.4236/cm.2016.73011.