Prophylactic Effects of Some Nigerian Higher Fungi on Malaria Parasite, Plasmodium berghei berghei in BALB/c Strain Albino Mice

The preventive abilities of some Nigerian higher fungi; Pleurotus pulmonarius, Fomes lignosus, Lentinus subnudus, Termitomyces robustus, Pleurotus tuber-regium collected from wood substrates, and the combined extracts (40 mg/mL) were studied against malaria parasite, Plasmodium berghei berghei to exploit them as medicinal agents. The fruit bodies were extracted with ethanol using soxhlet apparatus. Six hundred and twelve 4- 5 weeks old BALB/c mice (average weight 21 g) were assigned into 30 groups of twelve mice each. They were orally treated with 0.1 mL extracts of 4, 0.4, 0.04, 0.004, 0.0004 mg/mL before infecting with 0.2 mL of 5x106 parasitized erythrocytes. Chloroquine,CQ (20 mg/kg) served as controls. Liver and kidney were examined for histological changes. Parasitemic level, packed cell volume (PCV) and weights of animals were checked using standard methods. Descriptive statistics and ANOVA (at p= 0.05) were used for data analysis. Lentinus subnudus produced the highest decrease of parasitemia (30%), and recorded the least loss of PCV (27%), while Pleurotus tuber-regium produced the least weight loss of 26.5%. All the mushroom extracts produced same effect as CQ at concentrations 0.4 and 0.04 mg/mL. The tissues of infected animals without extracts had abnormalities. There were no histological damage in tissues of uninfected animals. Pre-infection treatment produced mild abnormal conditions from severe periportal infiltration and marked sinusoidal congestion. The extracts could be formulated into drugs against malaria however, appropriate dosage must be known.