The Antiplasmodial Activity Of Extracts Of Edible Mushroom: Agaricus Bisporus On Plasmodium Berghei In Albino Mice

CHAPTER FOUR
4.0    RESULTS
The compounds present in the aqueous and alcoholic extract of Agaricus bisporus were identified by GC-MS analysis after analysis. Aqueous mushroom extract was labelled as A while the alcoholic extract was labelled B. The active principle Molecular Weight (MW), Concentration (%), Molecular Formula (MF), and Retention Time (RT). Nine compounds were identified in the extracts. The prevailing compounds in the aqueous extract were 1-Butanamine, 2-methyl-N- (2-methylbtylidene) (2.03%), 2-Pyrorolidinone (7.46%) while the prevailing compounds in the alcoholic extract were n-Hexadecanoic acid (19.47%) and 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z) (80.53%). This investigation has helped to identify the compounds present in the fruiting body of A. bisporus. Further evaluation of pharmacological activity of each compounds in the extract would help identify the most potent compound for curing malaria. This could be synthesized and incorporated into modern drug production (Table 1).

The results of the effect of malaria suppression by mushroom extract on the weight of the mice showed that the infection with the P. berghei caused a reduction in the weight of the albino mice. For instance, it caused the reduction in the weight of the mice in group 6, the group infected and treated with placebo (negative control) caused the reduction of their weight from 24.8±0.20 g to 19.4±0.66 g. This was about 22% reduction in their weight; when compared with the weight of the positive control group that was infected and treated with chloroquine that increased from 21.8±0.44 g to 24.7±0.65g; about 12% increase in the weight within the period of the experiment. Administering 400mg/ml of aqueous extract caused an increase in weight from 22.6±0.20 g to 23.0±0.20 g; this was about 1.7% increase in their weight. However, lower concentration of 200mg/ml caused a reduction in weight from 20.5±0.33 g to 18.1±0.10 g; about 12% reductions in the weight. There was reduction in weight of mice at both concentrations (200mg/ml and 400mg/ml) (Table 2).