Anti-plasmodial properties of Methanolic Extract of Musca domestica maggot on P. berghei – infected mice.

Abstract

The antiplasmodial activity of crude methanolic extract of Musca domestica (house fly) maggot was investigated in Plasmodium berghei infected mice. Fifteen albino mice was intraperitoneally infected with chloroquine sensitive Plasmodium berghei strain and divided into three groups. Group I was set up as negative control of 0.2ml normal saline/kg body weight, group II as 5mg chloroquine/kg body weight and group III as 600mg of the extract/kg body weight. The result shows that methanolic extract of Musca domestica suppress the level of parasitaemia and there was no significant difference (p<0.05) in the packed cell volume (PCV) of all the groups at Day 0, while at Day 4 there was significant increase (p<0.05) in the packed cell volume (PCV) of the negative control compared to other groups. Whereas at Day 7 of the experiment, there was significant increase (p<0.05) in the packed cell volume (PCV) of the negative control and 5mg received chloroquine compared to group III (600mg of the extract/kg body weight). The crude methanolic extract of Musca domestica also show longer mouse survival period relative to the negative control, with mean survival time of 34.00±1.25 for the tested dose of 600mg/kg body weight and 44.00±1.38 for Chloroquine compared to of negative control. This work revealed that methanolic extract of Musca domestica maggot has antiplasmodial activity. Therefore, this shows the significance of insects and their products for the development of new drug for treatment against malarial and other infectious disease.