J Ethnopharmacol. 1991 May-Jun; 33(1-2): 79-83.

Antimalarial activity of some plant remedies in use in Marracuene, southern Mozambique.

Jurg A, TomÃ¡s T, Pividal J.

Department of Traditional Medicine, National Health Institute, Maputo, Mozambique.

Two plants, Spirostachys africana and Bridelia cathartica, were selected for investigation on the basis of a clinical study of four herbal antimalarial remedies used in southern Mozambique. Petroleum ether, ethanol and aqueous extracts were tested for activity in vitro against Plasmodium falciparum. Crude ethanolic and aqueous extracts of the root and the ethanolic extract of the stem of B. cathartica caused a 50% inhibition of parasite growth at an incubation concentration of 0.05 microgram/ml.