Exploring the Phytochemical Diversity and Anti-Plasmodial Potential of <i>Artemisia annua</i> and <i>Artemisia afra</i> from Different Geographical Locations in Cameroon
Lahngong M. Shinyuy,
Gisèle E. Loe,
Olivia Jansen,
Allison Ledoux,
Benjamin Palmaerts,
Lúcia Mamede,
Naima Boussif,
Olivier Bonnet,
Bertin S. Enone,
Sandra F. Noukimi,
Abenwie S. Nchang,
Kristiaan Demeyer,
Annie Robert,
Stephen M. Ghogomu,
Jacob Souopgui,
Eric Hallot,
Michel Frederich
Affiliations
Lahngong M. Shinyuy
Pharmacognosy Laboratory, Center of Interdisciplinary Research on Medicine (CIRM), University of Liège, Avenue Hippocrate 15, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Gisèle E. Loe
Laboratory of Pharmacochemical and Natural Pharmaceutical Substances, Doctoral Training Unit in Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, Douala P.O. Box 2701, Cameroon
Olivia Jansen
Pharmacognosy Laboratory, Center of Interdisciplinary Research on Medicine (CIRM), University of Liège, Avenue Hippocrate 15, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Allison Ledoux
Pharmacognosy Laboratory, Center of Interdisciplinary Research on Medicine (CIRM), University of Liège, Avenue Hippocrate 15, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Benjamin Palmaerts
Remote Sensing and Geodata Unit, Institut Scientifique de Service Public (ISSeP), 4000 Liège, Belgium
Lúcia Mamede
Pharmacognosy Laboratory, Center of Interdisciplinary Research on Medicine (CIRM), University of Liège, Avenue Hippocrate 15, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Naima Boussif
Pharmacognosy Laboratory, Center of Interdisciplinary Research on Medicine (CIRM), University of Liège, Avenue Hippocrate 15, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Olivier Bonnet
Pharmacognosy Laboratory, Center of Interdisciplinary Research on Medicine (CIRM), University of Liège, Avenue Hippocrate 15, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Bertin S. Enone
Laboratory of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology (IVTD), Department of Analytical, Applied Chemometrics and Molecular Modeling (FABI), Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit of Brussel, 1050 Ixelles, Belgium
Sandra F. Noukimi
Embryology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
Abenwie S. Nchang
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (EPID), Institute de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Public Health School, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), 1200 Brussels, Belgium
Kristiaan Demeyer
Laboratory of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology (IVTD), Department of Analytical, Applied Chemometrics and Molecular Modeling (FABI), Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit of Brussel, 1050 Ixelles, Belgium
Annie Robert
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (EPID), Institute de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Public Health School, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), 1200 Brussels, Belgium
Stephen M. Ghogomu
Molecular and Cell Biology Laboratory (MCBL), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, Buea P.O. Box 063, Cameroon
Jacob Souopgui
Embryology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
Eric Hallot
Remote Sensing and Geodata Unit, Institut Scientifique de Service Public (ISSeP), 4000 Liège, Belgium
Michel Frederich
Pharmacognosy Laboratory, Center of Interdisciplinary Research on Medicine (CIRM), University of Liège, Avenue Hippocrate 15, 4000 Liège, Belgium
In Cameroon, like in other African countries, infusions of Artemisia afra and Artemisia annua are widely used for the management of health-related problems, including malaria. The secondary metabolite contents of medicinal plants vary between different geographical regions and seasons, directly influencing their effectiveness in treating ailments. This study explores the phytochemical diversity and anti-plasmodial potential of A. annua and A. afra from distinct geographical locations within Cameroon, aiming to define the optimal chemical composition in terms of anti-plasmodial activity. Extracts were prepared from plants collected from diverse regions in Cameroon during both the rainy and dry seasons, and their metabolic contents were analyzed using Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC), High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), and Gas Chromatography (GC). Their anti-plasmodial potential was assessed on a chloroquine-sensitive 3D7 Plasmodium falciparum strain. Additionally, the environmental parameters of the collecting sites were retrieved from multispectral satellite imagery. The activity profiles of the samples were associated with their environment, with distinct phytochemical compositions observed for each sample based on its geographical origin and season. Traces of artemisinin were detected in some of the A. afra samples, but it was present in the A. annua samples at a significantly higher concentration, especially in the rainy season samples (highest concentration in the Adamawa region, at 8.9% m/m artemisinin in the dry extract). Both plants are active at different levels, with A. annua more active due to the presence of artemisinin and A. afra probably active due to the presence of polyphenols. Both season and geographical location influence both plants’ metabolic contents and hence their antimalaria activity. These findings suggest that the selection of a suitable Artemisia sample for use as a potential antimalarial treatment should take into consideration its geographical origin and the period of collection.
