Prevention of cerebral malaria hypoxia through administration of neem leaves extract (Azadirachta indica) in mice C57BL

Cerebral malaria is the most serious complication of malaria infection. Plasmodium falciparum is the most common cause of cerebral malaria. Pathomechanisms underlying the severity of cerebral malaria include parasite ability, parasitemia degree, host inflammatory response, sequestration, disruption of the blood brain barrier (BBB), and brain hypoxia. Hypoxia causes cells to produce transcription factors such as the HIF-2α protein. The development of antimalarial drugs is based on fatal complications caused by hypoxia in cerebral malaria. Thus, it is necessary to investigate the mechanism of antihypoxia in cerebral malaria using natural materials, one of which is leaves (Azadirachta indica).

Inoculation of Plasmodium berghei strain ANKA in C57BL mice aged 13-16 weeks. Parasitemia calculations were performed every day from the blood of the mouse tails. Treatment was given using 96% ethanol extract from neem leaves with dose of 8mg, 12mg, and 16mg orally for 6days. As treatment comparisons, there were also negative controls, positive controls, and healthy controls. Brain tissue was isolated on the seventh day to study the expression of p>0.05). The hypothesis is tested using a one-way ANOVA test with post-hoc LSD test and Pearson's correlation test.

The administration of neem leaf extract significantly reduced parasitemia and hypoxia (p<0,000). Meanwhile, the correlation test revealed a very strong relationship (r=+0.732) between parasitemia and hypoxia.

Neem leaf extract administration reduces parasitemia and prevents hypoxia in mice induced by cerebral malaria.