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Table 1 Cytotoxicity (MLD50) and activity (IC50) in vitro against Plasmodium falciparum of Aspidosperma pyrifolium extracts and fractions

From: Aspidosperma pyrifolium, a medicinal plant from the Brazilian caatinga, displays a high antiplasmodial activity and low cytotoxicity

Plant material (code)a

MLD50 (µg/ml)b

IC c50 (µg/ml)

Activity

BGM

HepG2

PBMC

Crude extracts

 Stem bark (AP1)

≥ 1000

410 ± 67

≥ 1000

3 ± 3

AT

 Stem (AP4)

≥ 1000

415 ± 17

404 ± 42

17 ± 4

PA

 Root bark (AP9)

287 ± 35

407 ± 60

492 ± 75

14 ± 1

PA

 Roots (AP12)

≥ 1000

415 ± 17

404 ± 42

18 ± 5

PA

 Leaves

486 ± 15

449 ± 49

548 ± 22

12 ± 4

PA

Fractions from AP1

 Organic (ethyl acetate) (AP3)

≥ 1000

489 ± 13

435 ± 83

9 ± 3

AT

 Aqueous (AP2)

≥ 1000

636 ± 55

≥ 1000

20 ± 6

PA

Fractions from AP4

 Organic (ethyl acetate) (AP5)

≥ 1000

316 ± 42

153 ± 13

6 ± 1

AT

 Alkaloid-rich (AP5F.ALC)

≥ 1000

418 ± 7

145 ± 17

5 ± 3

AT

 Aqueous (AP5F.AQ)

≥ 1000

≥ 1000

≥ 1000

≥ 50

IN

 Butanolic (AP6)

≥ 1000

≥ 1000

≥ 1000

≥ 40

IN

 Aqueous (AP7)

≥ 1000

≥ 1000

≥ 1000

27 ± 3

IN

 Chloroquine

457 ± 22

398 ± 12

150 ± 53

0.07 ± 0.02

AT

  1. AT active, PA partially active, IN inactive
  2. aThe fractionation steps are summarized in Fig. 2
  3. bMLD for 50% of hepatoma cells (HepG2), monkey kidney cells (BGM) or freshly isolated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in three or four tests with MTT
  4. cIC50 correspond to the concentration inhibiting 50% growth of blood forms of P. falciparum (W2 clone, chloroquine-resistant) in 3–5 independent assays