Phytoconstitution and Antioxidant Activity of the Ethanolic Extract of an Antimalarial Herbal Mixture.

The phytoconstitution and antioxidant profiling of mixture of herbs used in the treatment of malaria has been carried out. Herbs used as alternative medicines in the local treatment of malaria were collected from a herbal vendor in Ibadan. The herbal materials were extracted using absolute ethanol and the crude extract, EEA subjected to qualitative phytochemical screening and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) standard procedures. The presence of alkaloids, saponins, tannins, terpeniods, flavonoids and phenols were identified. EEA was found to exhibit antioxidant activity in the dose range of 25-400 µgml-1. The significant presence of major series of phytochemicals has justified the associated antimalarial ethnomedicinal claim. Thus, the present study has established the phytoconstitution and antioxidant activity of an antimalaria herbal mixture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]