Babesia is Harmed by Herbal Medicine — Treatment Options?

Anti-babesial activity of some central kalimantan plant extracts and active oligostilbenoids from Shorea balangeran.

Bark extracts from a total of 22 species of Central Kalimantan plants were evaluated for their anti-babesial activity against Babesia gibsoni in vitro. Of these plant species, extracts of Calophyllum tetrapterum, Garcinia rigida, Lithocarpus sp., Sandoricum emarginatum, and Shorea balangeran showed more than 90% inhibition of the parasite growth at a test concentration of 1000 microg/mL.

Activity-guided fractionation of the bark of S. balangeran (Dipterocarpaceae) led to the reisolation of oligostilbenoids, vaticanol A(1), B(2), and G(3). The structures were determined on the basis of spectral evidence.

Compounds 1 and 3 showed complete inhibition on the growth of Babesia gibsoni in vitro at a concentration of 25 microg/mL, and compound 2 at concentration of 50 microg/mL.

Planta Med. 2005 May;71(5):420-3.

Subeki, Nomura S, Matsuura H, Yamasaki M, Yamato O, Maede Y, Katakura K, Suzuki M, Trimurningsih, Chairul, Yoshihara T.

Division of Applied Bioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.

PMID: 15931579 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]