The Role of Medicinal Plants in Alleviating Malaria Symptoms: A Clinical Review

Nalongo Bina K.

Faculty of Medicine Kampala International University Uganda

ABSTRACT

Malaria remains one of the most devastating infectious diseases globally, particularly affecting low- and middle-income countries. The emergence of drug-resistant strains of Plasmodium parasites and rising resistance to insecticides among mosquito vectors have necessitated the exploration of alternative therapeutic interventions. This review critically examines the clinical relevance and therapeutic potential of medicinal plants in alleviating malaria symptoms and treating the disease. It outlines the historical use of traditional plant-based remedies, highlights key phytochemicals with proven antimalarial activity, and evaluates current clinical evidence supporting their efficacy. Plants such as Artemisia annua, Zanthoxylum chalybeum, and Warburgia salutaris have shown promising outcomes in both preclinical and limited clinical studies. Despite the encouraging results, challenges persist in standardizing dosages, validating mechanisms of action, and ensuring biocompatibility. This review underscores the need for more robust clinical trials, sustainable harvesting practices, and equitable benefit-sharing models in the development of plant-based antimalarial therapies.

Keywords: Malaria, Medicinal plants, Artemisia annua, Traditional medicine, Antimalarial therapy, Plasmodium resistance, Ethnopharmacology, Herbal remedies.

CITE AS: Nalongo Bina K. (2025). The Role of Medicinal Plants in Alleviating Malaria Symptoms: A Clinical Review. Research Output Journal of Biological and Applied Science 5(3):126-133. https://doi.org/10.59298/ROJBAS/2025/53126133