Anti-plasmodial Activity of Bee Sting in Plasmodium berghei Infected Mice

Aim: Based on traditional claims and practice, the antiplasmodial activity of bee stings and its effect on haematological indices was investigated in P. berghei infected mice.
Methodology: Sixteen albino mice were intraperitoneally infected with chloroquine sensitive P. berghei strain and divided into four groups each consisted of four animals. Group I was set up as negative control of 0.2 ml normal Saline/kg body weight, group II as 5 mg chloroquine/kg body weight, group III had suppressive treatment and group IV was administered curative treatment. The thin blood smear was used to determine the parasiteamia counts and the haematological parameters were estimated on day 7.
Results: The result of percentage chemosuppression shows that bee stings suppress the parasitaemia to 56.6%. Also, the suppressive and curative groups show longer mean survival period of 15.0 and 20.0 respectively. The haematological studies show that the level of packed cell volume (PCV) and haemoglobin concentration (HB) of infected untreated group was significantly (p<0.05) lower when compare with all other experimental groups, where as chloroquine treated group shows significant increase compared to the bee treated groups. The Red blood cell (R.B.C.) counts was significantly (p<0.05) lowered in infected untreated group when compare with suppressive and chloroquine treated groups. However the white blood cell (WBC) counts was significantly (p<0.05) higher in infected bee sting treated when compare to the infected untreated and infected chloroquine treated groups.
Conclusion: Based on the result obtained, this study confirms the antiplasmodial activity of bee stings and suggests its potential as drug agent or lead against malaria.