A Review on Anti-Malarial Activities of Selected Plant Species from the Rutaceae Family

Malaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium, which is transmitted via bites of infected mosquitoes. The parasites multiply in the liver of the human body and thereafter infect the red blood cells. Between 10-15 days after a mosquito bite, malaria symptoms such as fever, headache, and vomiting begin to manifest in an infected person. Untreated malaria disrupts the supply of blood to vital organs which makes it a life-threatening parasite. It is suitably noted that in many parts of the world the parasites have developed resistance to a number of malaria medicines. The species P. knowlesi rarely causes disease in humans. Malaria is typically diagnosed by the microscopic examination of blood using blood films, or with antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests [1]. Methods that use the polymerase chain reaction to detect the parasite's DNA have been developed, but are not widely used in areas where malaria is common due to their cost and complexity [2].