Antiplasmodial Properties of Medicinal Plants from East Singhbhum District of Jharkhand in India

It has been reported that malaria is one of the most important vector-borne diseases in Jharkhand with significant morbidity and mortality. The National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme has prepared new treatment guidelines for malaria that recommend phytochemical constituents-based therapy as the first-line drug for malaria. It is being observed in the treatment of malaria that the cases of drug resistance are increasing day by day. Finding new antiplasmodial or antimalarial plant species to develop effective malarial drugs is the necessity of time to avoid the problem of drug resistance. The tribal people have been using traditional medicinal plants since ancient times. They are using the medicinal plants found in their area for the treatment of fever, loss of appetite, digestive disorders, diabetes, jaundice, joint pain, skin and various other diseases. A community-level study was conducted to document the traditional knowledge and identify the antimalarial plant species with the help of traditional healers (vaidya/Hakeem) as well as by involving Sabar, Santal, Ho tribes and other communities of the area. The present study is focused on the exploration of antiplasmodial and antimalarial medicinal plants which are traditionally used by the ethnic or tribal people of East Singhbhum district in Jharkhand. Further, the review of scientific literature was conducted to validate the documented knowledge and related antimalarial plant species. A total of 28 medicinal plants of East Singhbhum have been identified and reviewed which have good antiplasmodial properties. These medicinal plants are rich in bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, tannins, essential oils, anthraquinones pyrroles etc. The present study deals with the details of those active compounds and concludes the best drug for control of Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum. However, more advanced research is needed to establish the effectiveness of bioactive compounds in vitro and in vivo, understand their basic mechanisms of action and begin the process of clinical research.