Screening of Five Herbal Formulations Sold in South-East Nigeria for their Phytochemical Properties, In Vitro Antioxidant, Antiplasmodial and Cytotoxic Activities

Due to their rich bioactive secondary metabolites, herbal formulations sold in Nigeria are believed to have a curative effect on ailments including malaria. The study assessed the phytochemical properties, antioxidant properties, antiplasmodial, and cytotoxic effects of five commercially available herbal formulations. Preliminary phytochemical analysis for alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, tannins, and terpenoids was carried out following standard procedures. The in vitro antiplasmodial assay was evaluated using the DD2 chloroquine resistant Plasmodium falciparum strain, while cytotoxicity was assessed using the tetrazolium-based colorimetric (MTT) assay, and the antioxidant properties were evaluated by assessing (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) radical scavenging activities of these herbal formulations. Results revealed that the five herbal formulations had antiplasmodial potential and also had a cytotoxic effect on jukart cell lines used for the assay, and finally, there was variation in phytochemical constituents, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity among the five herbal formulations screened. It can be concluded that these herbal formulations possess antimalarial potential and are not toxic to the Red blood cells.