Abstract

The effect of wild Pomegranate (Punica granatum) juice, peels, leaves and membranes water infusion extracts on β-hematin inhibition was investigated in-vitro using semi-quantitative method. Reversed phase HPLC coupled with photodiode array detector and mass spectrometer (RP-LC-PDA-MS) was used to screen the major phenolic phytochemical(s) that may play a key role in the mechanism of β-hematin inhibition. Eighteen compounds were detected of which six are present in major quantity namely corilagin, brevifolin carboxylic acid, galloyl-HHDP-hexoside, granatin B, ellagic acid and eschweilenol C. The leaves, peels and membranes extracts have shown significant antimalarial potential when compared to chloroquine positive control. However, plain pomegranate juice which does not further enriched was inactive.

Keywords

pomegranate antimalarial, ?-hematin, HPLC-PDA-MS, chloroquine, hemozoin