Abstract:
Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety
of a tea bag formulation of the root of C. sanguinolenta
Design: This is a prospective descriptive open trial.
Setting: Patients were recruited from Korle-Bu,
Mamprobi and Dansoman Polyclinics.
Subjects: Forty-four subjects with uncomplicated
malaria were recruited for the study.
Method: Patients presented with clinical symptoms of
malaria. Laboratory investigations conducted included
malaria parasite counts, haematological indices and
biochemical tests which were obtained before, during
and after a 5-day treatment period, up to Day 28 posttreatment.
All patients in the study were symptomatic
with significant parasitaemia. Patients were given one
teabag three times a day, that is, morning, noon and
night, for five days of treatment.
Results: Fifty percent of the patients were cleared of
their P. falciparum parasitaemia by 72 hours, and all by
Day 7. Presenting symptoms of fever, chills, nausea
and vomiting cleared rapidly, all by Day 3, but
resolution of haematological and biochemical
abnormalities associated with malaria was generally
slow, a feature seen in malaria post-treatment. The
overall cure rate was 93.5% due to two cases of
recrudescence on Days 21 and 28. The laboratory
findings did not suggest any toxicity.
Conclusion: On the basis of fever clearance and
disappearance of parasitaemia by Day 7, the formulation
has been shown to be non-toxic and highly
effective in the treatment of acute uncomplicated
malaria.