The methanol extract of Ocimum basilicum (Scent leaf) was greenish in colour and increases in concentration through evaporation process which turns the extract to thick and dark green colouration. The percentage parasitaemia growth increases consecutively for seven (7) days with 7th day result having the highest parasite growth of 18.73%. The antimalarial activity of methanol extract of Ocimum basilicum conducted at six (6) different concentration (µg/ml) value shows that the highest % mean inhibition value of 58.81 was achieved at concentration of 200 µg/ml. The inhibition concentration (IC50) value was found to be 110µg/ml determined through linear interpolation from the inhibition curve with regards to the concentration. The mean inhibition for schizont maturation increases with increase in concentration of the extract relative to control. Therefore methanol extract of Ocimum basilicum exhibits a moderate antimalarial activity.

1.0 Introduction 1

1.1 Malaria (Background) 1

1.2 Malaria Parasites 3

1.3 Plasmodium falciparum  4

1.4 Ocimum basilicum  5

1.5 Justification 6

1.6 Aim and Objectives 6

2.0 Literature  review 7

2.1  Malaria 7

2.1.1 Cause 8

2.1.2 Life cycle of malaria parasite 8

2.1.3 Complications 9

2.1.4 Diagnosis 9

2.1.5 Treatment 9

2.1.6 Prevention  10

2.2      Plasmodium falciparum 11

2.2.1 Pathogenesis 12

2.2.2 Microscopic appearance  13

2.3       Ocimum basilicum 14

2.3.1 Etymology 15

2.3.2 Nomenclature and taxonomy 15

2.3.3 List of basil cultivars 16

2.3.4 Basil fresh 17

2.3.5 Basil as cooked recipe 18

2.3.6 Folk use 19

2.3.7 Chemical components  19

2.3.8 Activities of Ocimum basilicum 20

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 Materials and methods 22

3.1 Collection of plant materials 22

3.2 Identification  22

3.3 Extraction  23

3.4 Antimalarial assay, patient selection  23

3.5 Preparation of cluture media 24

3.5.1 Washing medium (incomplete medium) 24

3.5.2 Serum preparation  24

3.5.3 Complete medium  25

3.5.4 Preparation of erythrocytes for culture 25

3.5.5 Initiation of culture  25

3.5.6 Monitoring culture growth 26

3.6 Smear preparation  26

3.7 Sub-culturing (passage 27

3.7.1 Synchronization of P. falciparum 28

3.8 Bio-guided antimalaria assay fractional 28

3.9 Estimation of the plant’s extract activity 29

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 Presentation of results 30

4.1 Result summary 33

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0 Discussion, Conclusion and Recommendation

5.1 Discussion 34

5.2 Conclusion 35

5.3 Recommendation 35

Reference 36

Appendix40