European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

EVALUATING THE STAINING POTENTIAL OF DYE EXTRACTED FROM BAPHIA NITIDA (CAMWOOD) ON MALARIA PARASITE.

Oli Chidimma Ifeatu, *Madukwe David Uche Promise, Okoli Sylvia Nkoli and Robinson Mgbakogu

ABSTRACT

This study examines the staining potential of aqueous and ethanolic extracts from Baphia nitida (indigenous herbaceous plant species) as a staining agent for malaria parasite. A total of 100 subjects were recruited for this study. 25 were apparently healthy subjects (controls) that had their blood films stained with the plant extract and the remaining 75 were subjects already diagnosed of malaria whose blood films were stained with the plant extract and Giemsa/Leishman stain (controls) respectively. The result obtained showed that dye extracted from Baphia nitida was unable to stain the malaria parasite. However, it was able to detect some of the blood cells such as red blood cells and white blood cells. It was noted that distilled aqueous hot extract with mordant gave the best staining result with 32% of the blood films stained with the above extract having an excellent staining quality, 16% being very good and 52% with a good staining quality. The distilled cold water extract (poor=60% and good=40%) stained much better than the ethanolic extract (poor=44%, good=52% and very good=4%). Generally, dye extract from Baphia nitida gave a less contrasted appearance in comparison to the conventional stains. The relationship between the method of dye extraction used and the quality of stain obtained was extremely significant (p<0.05). This implies that the quality of stain obtained following staining is largely dependent on the method of dye extraction use.

Keywords: Biphia nitida, Malaria Parasite, Giemsa stain, Leishman stain.