Antimalarial Effect of the Total Glycosides of the Medicinal Plant, <i>Ranunculus japonicus</i>

• Main Authors: Hae-Soo Yun, Sylvatrie-Danne Dinzouna-Boutamba, Sanghyun Lee, Zin Moon, Dongmi Kwak, Man-Hee Rhee, Dong-Il Chung, Yeonchul Hong, Youn-Kyoung Goo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-04-01
• Series: Pathogens
• Subjects: <i>Ranunculus japonicus</i>; plasmodium falciparum; plasmodium berghei; antimalarial effect
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/5/532

In traditional Chinese medicine, <i>Ranunculus japonicus</i> has been used to treat various diseases, including malaria, and the young stem of <i>R. japonicus</i> is consumed as a food in the Republic of Korea. However, experimental evidence of the antimalarial effect of <i>R. japonicus</i> has not been evaluated. Therefore, the antimalarial activity of the extract of the young stem of <i>R. japonicus</i> was evaluated in vitro using both chloroquine-sensitive (3D7) and chloroquine-resistant (Dd2) strains; in vivo activity was evaluated in <i>Plasmodium berghei</i>-infected mice via oral administration followed by a four-day suppressive test focused on biochemical and hematological parameters. Exposure to extracts of <i>R. japonicus</i> resulted in significant inhibition of both chloroquine-sensitive (3D7) and resistant (Dd2) strains of <i>P. falciparum,</i> with IC₅₀ values of 6.29 ± 2.78 and 5.36 ± 4.93 μg/mL, respectively. Administration of <i>R. japonicus</i> also resulted in potent antimalarial activity against <i>P. berghei</i> in infected mice with no associated toxicity; treatment also resulted in improved hepatic, renal, and hematologic parameters. These results demonstrate the antimalarial effects of <i>R. japonicus</i> both in vitro and in vivo with no apparent toxicity.