# In vivo Antimalarial and Liver Function Profiles of Methanol Extract of Salvia officinalis (Common Sage) Leaf in Plasmodium berghei-Infected Mice

## TL;DR

This study shows that an extract from Common Sage leaves has antimalarial effects in mice and does not significantly harm liver function.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates the in vivo antimalarial potential and liver safety of Salvia officinalis methanol extract in a Plasmodium berghei mouse model.

## Key findings

- The extract showed dose-dependent antimalarial effects with up to 66.80% parasite suppression at 1000mg/kg.
- The extract demonstrated significant chemo-suppressive and prophylactic effects against Plasmodium berghei.
- Liver function tests showed no significant adverse effects at lower doses, with only minor changes at the highest dose.

## Abstract

Salvia officinalis (Common Sage) plant, is used as herbal medicine. The study was aimed at investigating the antimalarial potential and liver function profiles of the Methanol Extract of Salvia officinalis.

Mice infected with Plasmodium berghei were treated (p.o) with the extract in the curative, suppressive, and prophylactic antimalarial models at doses of 250mg/kg, 500mg/kg, and 1000mg/kg. The positive control drug used was artemether/lumefantrine (7mg/kg A/L) while the negative control was 10mk/kg of Tween 80.

The curative stage showed a significant (p < 0.001) dose-dependent antiplasmodial effect (of the methanol extract of S. officinalis leaf) compared with the negative control (Group 1). At doses of 250, 500, and 1000mg/kg, the Salvia officinalis extract produced parasite suppression of 37.13%, 57.18% and 66.80% respectively. While the positive control group produced parasite percentage suppression of 74.38%. There was a significant chemo-suppressive effect (p < 0.001) at all doses of the methanol extract of Salvia officinalis leaf. The leaf extracts demonstrated a prophylactic significant (p < 0.001) activity. There was no significant effect (p > 0.05) on packed cell volume at doses of 250 and 500mg/kg while 1000mg/kg body weight showed a significant (p < 0.05) effect. There was a reduction in the level of activity of the enzymes and other parameters in the liver function tests with an increase in the dosage of the leaf extract.

The methanol extract of Salvia officinalis possesses in vivo antiplasmodial activities and could be a lead plant in the development of antiplasmodial agents.