In vitro antimalarial activity and cytotoxicity of cochlospermum tinctorium and C. planchonii leaf extracts and essential oils.

The antimalarial and toxicological properties of Cochlospermum tinctorium and C. planchonii extracts and essential oils prepared from their leaves were studied. The oil components were extracted by hydrodistillation of the plant leaves and characterized by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Crude extracts and oils were tested for in vitro antimalarial activity on Plasmodium falciparum. The IC50 were evaluated after 24 and 72 h contact between the oils and the parasite culture, and ranged from 22 to 500 micrograms/ml. C. planchonii leaf oil yielded the best antimalarial effect (IC50: 22-35 micrograms/ml), while the most potent effect from crude leaf extracts was induced by C. tinctorium. The cytotoxicity of the leaf crude extracts and oils was assessed on the K562 cell line and showed IC50 values ranging between 33 and 2000 micrograms/ml.