The Effect of Garcinia parvifolia Miq (Active Fraction) on Phagocytosis by Peritoneal Macrophages During Plasmodium berghei Infection in Mice

The aim of this study was to asses the active fraction of the stem bark of G. parvifolia Miq to P. berghei on total red cells of mice and the number of intraperitoneal macrophage phagocytocide latex after infected by P. berghei. Three doses of active fraction of G. parvifolia at the dose of 25, 50, 100 and 200 mg kg-1 b.wt., respectively were used in this study and chloroquine was used as the positive control, while distilled water was used as a negative control. Phagocyte activity was measured by the ability of mice peritoneal macrophages to phagocytize latex particles in vitro. The result of this research indicated that at the dose of 200 mg/kg/day could reduce the number of parasite in the blood up to 54.90%. From the results indicated that the reduction of the number of parasite which circulated in the blood occurs at the doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg/day, although its activity is much lower than malaria drug of chloroquine. Macrophages activity (87.19%) increased at the dose of 200 mg/kg/day, compared to the control group (52.99%), these indicated that the fraction of G. parvifolia induced immune response. The increase of the phagocyte activity of the macrophage was stimulated by the active fractions of G. parvifolia (dose dependent) which was given to the P. berghei-infected mice.