Preliminary Phytochemical Screening of Five Plants as Possible Antileishmaniasis Control Agent

Leishmaniasis is a major public health problem globally and manifests in three clinical forms including visceral cutaneous and mucocutaneous. Visceral leishmaniasis is fatal if left untreated for a period of 2 years, while cutaneous leishmaniasis cause crusted papules or ulcers on exposed skin. Plant families containing active compounds against other protozoan diseases may be suitable against leishmania parasites. This study report the compounds extracted from five plants (Olea europaea, Kigelia Africana, Terminalia mollis, Croton macrostachyus and Bridella micrantha extracts). The plants were collected from Baringo County in Kenya and authenticated at the National Museums of Kenya (Department of Botany). The plant samples were dried, pulverized into fine powders and extracted using methanol at the Center for Traditional Medicine and Drugs Research, KEMRI. The plant extracts contained varying amounts of phytochemical compounds such as tannins, phenols, flavonoids, steroids, alkaloids, saponins, anthraquinone, cardiac glycoside, polyphenols, cumarins, anthocyanins, trepenoids, glycosides and triterpenoids. The presence of tannins, flavanoids, alkaloids and saponins with known biological activities offer opportunity to test these compounds against leishmania parasites.