anti-malarial

We have developed a 384-well, high-throughput imaging assay for the detection of new anti-malarial compounds, which was initially validated by screening a marine natural product library, and subsequently used to screen more than 3 million data points from a variety of compound sources.

In the context of antimalarial drug development, the data suggest that all cryptolepine compounds and in particular 2,7-dibromocryptolepine cause DNA damage and therefore may not be suitable for pre clinical development as antimalarial agents.

A set of innovative algorithms is used for the fast calculation and interpretation of electron-density attributes of molecular structures at the quantum level for rapid discovery of prospective pharmaceuticals.

Study participants, aged >1 year, with microscopically confirmed uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria, and haemoglobin 70 g/L or haematocrit 25%, were recruited into two clinical trials conducted in six African countries (Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Mali).

During 2005–2006, in vitro drug susceptibility was measured for 42 clinical P. vivax isolates by using a schizont maturation inhibition technique.

Here we review both the structural details and functional significance of interactions at the hydrophobic cleft of AMA1, and argue that this feature of the protein represents an excellent target for the development of drugs that would block host cell invasion by malarial parasites.

These findings justify the use of H. lanceolatum stem bark as anti-malarial by traditional healers of Western Cameroon, and could constitute a good basis for further studies towards development of new drug candidates or phytomedicines for malaria.

This new assay can offer a rapid and robust platform to screen novel classes of anti-malarial drugs.

The findings show that the F4 fraction of C. pluviosa exhibits anti-malarial activity in vitro at non-toxic concentrations, which was potentiated in the presence of artesunate.

This review summarises the antimalarials developed and registered thus far, as well as describing some of the new small molecule therapy approaches being developed as a contribution towards the malaria eradication agenda.