EVALUATION OF NEPETA LEAVIGATA, NEPETA KURRAMENSIS AND RHYNCHOSIA RENIFORMIS ON ANTIMALARIAL AND ANTILEISHMANIAL ACTIVITIES

The pharmacological investigation of methanolic extracts and different fractions of the Nepeta leavigata, Nepeta kurramensis and Rhynchosia reniformis were designed to assess the antimalarial and antileishmanial screening of medicinal plants for development of drugs. Materials and Methods: The shade-dried whole plant material of Nepeta leavigata was soaked in methanol for 10 days. The powdered drug was extracted with 80 % methanol three times and filtered at room temperature. The filtrate was evaporated in rotary to get a dark-greenish residue (extract), which was further suspended in water and partitioned successively with n -hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n -butanol to obtain n -hexane-soluble, chloroform-soluble, ethyl acetate-soluble, n -butanol-soluble and aqueous fractions, respectively (Khan, et al ., 2010a). Same extraction and fractionation procedure was adopted for Nepeta kurramensis and Rhynchosia reniformis. The antimalarial / antileishmanial activity of crude extracts/fractions was determined through standard protocol (Kerharo & Adam, 1974/). Results: The crude extract, chloroform fraction of Nepeta leavigata and fractions chloroform and ethyl acetate of Nepeta kurramensis showed promising antileishmanial and antimalarial activity against parasites of leishmania and malaria (promistogetes and schizonts) by observing 1 or 0 number of parasites on slide field where ≤ 1 level is significant, while all fractions of Rhynchosia reniformis did not showed any action against promistigotes and schizonts. Conclusions: The bioassays guided isolation and phytochemical screening of active fractions against these activities will further enhance research in the field of pharmacology.