The impact of an Arachis hypogaea-based diet on malaria resistance and hematological indices in mice infected with Plasmodium berghei
This study evaluated the effects of different Arachis hypogaea dietary preparations on parasite load, hematological indices, and physiological responses in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice. Albino mice (n = 45) were randomly assigned to five groups: normal control, infected untreated control, roasted groundnut, boiled groundnut, and a combination of roasted and boiled groundnut diets. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance; p < 0.05 indicated statistical significance. Infection resulted in a high parasite load in the untreated group, with no significant difference compared to the boiled and combined diet groups. However, the roasted groundnut group showed a reduction in parasite load and relatively higher chemosuppressive activity, although differences were not statistically significant. White blood cell counts increased significantly following infection, and dietary treatments did not restore normal levels. Similarly, red blood cell counts and packed cell volume were significantly reduced in infected mice. The roasted groundnut diet moderately improved packed cell volume compared to other treatments, but did not restore it to normal levels. Weight loss was most pronounced in untreated mice, while roasted groundnut intake showed slight mitigation. No significant effects on temperature regulation were observed. Overall, A. hypogaea diets did not significantly reduce parasitemia or improve hematological parameters, indicating limited therapeutic value for malaria management.
- World Health Organization. World Malaria Report 2023. Geneva: WHO; 2023. https://www.who.int/teams/global-malaria-programme/reports/world-malaria-report-2023
- Nzekwe IT, Okwudili V, Ajaghaku DL, Emeonyi J, Ajagu N, Okeke AO. Assessing the influence of oils on the level of parasitemia following infection with Plasmodium berghei in a murine model. J Curr Biomed Res. 2024;4(6):1869–1883. doi: 10.54117/jcbr.v4i6.1
- Wellems TE, Plowe CV. Chloroquine-resistant malaria. J Infect Dis. 2001;184(6):770–776. doi: 10.1086/322858
- Schäfer TM, Pessanha de Carvalho L, Inoue J, Kreidenweiss A, Held J. The problem of antimalarial resistance and its implications for drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov. 2024;19(2):209-24. doi: 10.1080/17460441.2023.2284820
- Mitsakakis K, Hin S, Müller P, et al. Converging human and malaria vector diagnostics towards a One Health approach. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018;15(2):259. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15020259
- Coban C, Lee MSJ, Ishii KJ. Tissue-specific immunopathology during malaria infection. Nat Rev Immunol. 2018;18(4):266– 278. doi: 10.1038/nri.2017.138
- Nabatanzi M, Ntono V, Kamulegeya J, et al. Malaria outbreak facilitated by increased mosquito breeding sites near houses and cessation of indoor residual spraying, Kole district, Uganda, January-June 2019. BMC Public Health. 2022;22(1):1898. doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-14245-y
- Olayemi SO, Arikawe AP, Akinyede A, et al. Effect of Malarial Treatments on Biochemical Parameters and Plasma pH of Mice Infected with Plasmodium berghei. Int J Pharmacol. 2012;8(6):549–554. doi: 10.3923/ijp.2012.549.554
- Campos-Mondragón MG, Calderón de la Barca AM, Durán-Prado A, et al. Nutritional composition of groundnut cultivar. Grasas Aceites. 2009;60(2):161–167. doi: 10.3989/gya.075008
- Neves FP, Leite AR, Mantovani LP, da Silva C, Gabriel Filho LR, De Oliveira SC. The economic importance of the groundnuts production chain. Rev Bras De Eng De Biossistemas. 2023;17. doi: 10.18011/bioeng.2023.v17.1186
- Tuberoso C, Kowalczyk A, Sarritzu E, Cabras P. Determination of antioxidant compounds and antioxidant activity in commercial oilseeds for food use. Food Chem. 2007;103(4):1494–1501. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2006.08.014
- Toomer OT. A comprehensive review of the value-added uses of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) skins and by-products. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2020;60(2):341-50. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2018.1538101
- Ndinyelum OM, Ufele-Obiesie AN. Effects of Zingiber officinale and Curcuma longa. Anim Res Int. 2024;21(3):5819–5827. https://www.ajol.info/index.php/ari/ article/view/286213
- Nair AB, Jacob S. A simple practice guide for dose conversion between animals and human. J Basic Clin Pharm. 2016;7(2):27. doi: 10.4103/0976-0105.177703
- Farooq U, Idris M, Sajjad N, et al. Investigating the potential of packed cell volume for deducing hemoglobin: Cholistani camels in perspective. PLoS ONE. 2023;18(5):e0280659. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280659
- Verso ML. The evolution of blood-counting techniques. Med Hist. 1964;8(2):149-58. 1964. doi: 10.1017/S0025727300029392
- Bain, Barbara J., and Mike Leach. Blood cells: a practical guide. Hoboken, NY, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2025. doi: 10.1002/9781119820307
- IBM SPSS. Statistics for Windows, Version 25.0. Armonk, New York, USA: IBM Corporation; 2017. https://www.ibm. com/support/pages/downloading-ibm-spss-statistics-25
- Okeke JJ, Mogbo TC. Comparative study of growth performance of grasscutter fed on diverse foodstuff in captivity. International Journal of Advanced Biological Research. 2013;3(1):85-89. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258343839_COMPARATIVE_STUDY_OF_GROWTH_PERFORMANCE_OF_GRASSCUTTER_FED_ON_DIVERSE_FOODSTUFF_IN_CAPTIVITY
- Ufele-Obiesie, A. N., and O. M. Ndinyelum. “Some Haematological Changes in Trypanosoma-Infected Albino Rats When Treated with Zingiber officinale and Curcuma longa.” Int J Contemp Microbiol. 2025;11(1). doi: 22.10.37506/6vppa095
- Soares SMA, Gualberto ACM, Cesar da Costa A, et al. A high-fat diet protects C57BL/6 mice from Plasmodium berghei ANKA infection in an experimental malaria study. Front Trop Dis. 2023;4. doi: 10.3389/fitd.2023.1188902
- Cimperman CK, Pena M, Gokcek SM, Theall BP, Patel MV, Sharma A, Qi C, Sturdevant D, Miller LH, Collins PL, Pierce SK. Cerebral malaria is regulated by host-mediated changes in plasmodium gene expression. mBio. 2023;14(2):e03391- 22. doi: 10.1128/mbio.03391-22
- Chandel S, Bagai U, Vashishat N. Antiplasmodial activity of Xanthium strumarium against Plasmodium berghei infected BALB/c mice. Parasitol Res. 2012;110(3):1179-1183. doi: 10.1007/s00436-011-2611-1
- Chandel S, Bagai U. Antiplasmodial activity of Ajuga bracteosa against Plasmodium berghei infected BALB/c mice. Indian J Med Res. 2010;131(3):440–444. https://journals.lww.com/ijmr/abstract/2010/31030/ antiplasmodial_activity_of_ajuga_bracteosa_against.14. aspx
- Guglani A, Pandey HK, Arya RK, Balakrishna G. A Systematic Review on Ethnopharmacology, Phytochemical, and Pharmacological Studies on Ajuga Integrifolia Buch- Ham.(Syn.: Ajuga Bracteosa Wall. Ex Benth.). Bioact Pharmacol Lamiaceae. 2023:29-39. doi: 10.1201/9781003346142-2
- Okeke OA, Ibeneme CB, Ndinyelum OM, et al. Dietary Effect of Cocos nucifera and Anarcadium occidentale on Malaria Parasite Load, Immune Function and Disease progression of Mice Infected with Plasmodium berghei . Anim Res Int. 2026;23(1):6806–6819. https://www.academia.edu/145898503/DIETARY_EFFECTS_OF_COCOS_NUCIFERA_AND_ANARCADIUM_OCCIDENTALE_ON_MALARIA_PARASITE_LOAD_IMMUNE_FUNCTION_AND_DISEASE_PROGRESSION_OF_MICE_INFECTED_WITH_PLASMODIUM_BERGHEI_1
- Polis B, Zeman K, Zakrzewski K, et al. Peripheral white blood cell patterns in children with hydrocephalus as a response to ventriculo-peritoneal shunt infection. PLoS ONE. 2024;19(8):e0308131. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308131
- Xu W, Wu HF, Ma SG, Bai F, Hu W, Jin Y, Liu H. Correlation between peripheral white blood cell counts and hyperglycemic emergencies. Int J Med Sci. 2013;10(6):758- 765. doi: 10.7150/ijms.6155
- Innocent EE, Edet E. Effects of consuming cooked, fresh and fried groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) on hematological parameters and renal markers in male Wistar rats. J Anat Sci. 2024;15(1):71. https://www.asn-ng.com/journal/public/ articles/1715537280_9-%20Edibamode-%20et%20al.pdf
- Rodrigues WF, Miguel CB, Marques LC, da Costa TA, de Abreu MC, Oliveira CJ, Lazo-Chica JE. Predicting blood parasite load and influence of expression of iNOS on the effect size of clinical laboratory parameters in acute Trypanosoma cruzi infection with different inoculum concentrations in C57BL/6 mice. Front Immunol. 2022;13:850037. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.850037
- Chauhan RS, Malik YS, Saminathan M, Tripathi BN. Immunopathology of parasitic diseases of animals. In: Essentials of veterinary immunology and immunopathology. Singapore: Springer Nature; 2024:483-503. doi: 10.1007/978-981-99-2718-0_16
- Enechi OC, Amah CC, Okagu IU, Ononiwu CP, Azidiegwu VC, Ugwuoke EO, Onoh AP, Ndukwe EE. Methanol extracts of Fagara zanthoxyloides leaves possess antimalarial effects and normalizes haematological and biochemical status of Plasmodium berghei-passaged mice. Pharm Biol. 2019;57(1):577-585. doi: 10.1080/13880209.2019.1656753
- Lakkavara A, Lundie RJ, Do H, et al. Acute Plasmodium berghei Mouse Infection Elicits Perturbed Erythropoiesis With Features That Overlap With Anemia of Chronic Disease. Front Microbiol. 2020;11:702. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00702
- Uduchi IO, Elo-Ilo JC, Ogbodo EC, Kanu SN, Okereke EE. Effect of Ethanolic Leaf Extract of Vernonia amygdalina on Haematological Parameters in Albino Rats. Asian J Res Med Pharm Sci. 2022;11(4):35-44. doi: 10.9734/AJRIMPS/2022/v11i4200
- Schwarz NA, Rigby BR, La Bounty P, Shelmadine B, Bowden RG. A Review of Weight Control Strategies and Their Effects on the Regulation of Hormonal Balance. J Nutr Metab. 2011:237932. doi: 10.1155/2011/237932
- Adesulu-Dahunsi AT, Ashade A, Adesulu A, Ezeamagu C, Fagbemi A. Integrating functional foods and phytomedicines into nutrition and health strategies in Sub-Saharan Africa. Cogent Food Agric. 2026;12(1):2631264. doi: 10.1080/23311932.2026.2631264
- Balasubramanian P, Subbulakshmi B, Balmurugan M, et al. Nutritional Profiling and its Significance in Groundnut: A Review. Asian J Dairy Food Res. 2024;43(4):615-623. doi: 10.18805/ajdfr.DR-2136
