Antimalarial Activity and Safety Profile of Gaysorn-Tang-Ha (GSTH): A Thai Herbal Recipe Evaluated in an ICR Model

Abstract

Natural compounds have gained considerable attention in the search for novel therapeutic agents, particularly for infectious diseases such as malaria. Traditional herbal medicines offer promising alternatives to address the growing challenge of drug-resistant Plasmodium strains. This study evaluated the antimalarial activity and safety profile of a Thai herbal recipe, Gaysorn-Tang-Ha (GSTH), or five-flower remedy, using in vivo mouse models, including 4-day suppressive tests and acute toxicity assessments. Furthermore, gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS) was employed to characterize the chemical constituents of the ethanolic extract. Chemical profiling revealed that the GSTH extract predominantly contained terpenoid compounds and fatty acid derivatives, with squalene identified as a major constituent. In antimalarial assays, GSTH extract exhibited dose-dependent suppression of parasitemia, with suppression rates of 18.31%, 47.31%, and 61.49% at doses of 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg body weight, respectively. Parasitemia suppression in GSTH-treated mice at all doses was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in the negative control. Acute toxicity testing revealed no observable physical or behavioral abnormalities in GSTH-treated mice compared to the normal control group during 14 days. Additionally, there were no significant changes in body weight, liver, or kidney enzyme levels. Histopathological analysis of liver and kidney tissues showed no evidence of tissue damage, further supporting the safety of the extract. In conclusion, GSTH demonstrated significant dose-dependent antimalarial activity, particularly at 600 mg/kg body weight, without observable signs of toxicity at doses up to 2 g/kg body weight. These findings indicate that the ethanolic GSTH extract exhibits moderate in vivo antimalarial activity with no evident acute toxicity under the conditions tested. The results provide preliminary evidence supporting further pharmacological and mechanistic investigations to better define its therapeutic potential.