Abstract Andrographis paniculata is a plant that grows well under shade. It is found in China, India and Nigeria, The plant is used traditionally in Nigeria to treat boils, swellings and pains. The Ethanol Leaf Extract of Andrographispaniculata was evaluated for its antiplasmodial activity using Suppressive, prophylactic and curative models in 120 albino mice. The plasmodium specie was Berghei berghei. A dose of 946.69 mg/kg/day of the extract reducedparasitaemia significantly (bP<0.01) from21.33 ±1.02 to 12.51±1.12 and suppressed malaria by 43.74%. Artesunate, a standard anti-malarial drug (positive control) produced 56.25 % chemosuppression. The normal saline (negative control) did not suppress malaria. The Lethal dose (LD50) of the extract was 316.23 mg/kg. The result of the phytochemical screening showed that the.extract contained tanins, polyphenols, terpenes, alkaloids, saponins and cardiac glycosides in abundance. These suggest that Andrographis paniculata leaf extract is active against plasmodium berghei berghei and by extension the plant can be used in the treatment of malaria. The phytochemicals are believed to be responsible for the anti-malarial activity.
Keywords Antiplasmodial activity, Ethanol leaf extract, Andrographis paniculata.