Antimalarial activity and cytotoxicity of Ficus pyrifolia and Rhus (=Baronia) taratana leaf extracts

Ethanolic leaf extracts of Ficus pyrifolia (Moraceae) and Rhus(= Baronia) taratana (Anacardiaccae), said to possess antimalarial effects in traditional herbal medicines, were tested against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro using an isotropic semi‐microtest and in vivo in the 4 day suppressive test in Plasmodium berghei infected mice. Although the in vitro test showed moderate or low activity (IC50 = 18 μg/mL and 80 μg/mL, respectively), the in vivo bioassays demonstrated significant activity with 67%, 52% and 48% suppression of parasitaemia with 80, 320, 2.5 mg/kg day−1 of Ficus pyrifolia, Rhus taratana and chloroquine, respectively. The two plant extracts showed low cytotoxicity.