Plant-Derived Lead Compound Against Malaria Liver Stages

Filed in archive Drugs, Vaccines and Therapeutics , Food and Agriculture on December 28, 2006

Researchers have identified a compound called tazopsine, obtained from the a plant in madagascar, to be active against the liver stages of human and mouse malaria.

One of its semisynthetic derivatives, NCP-tazopsine, completely protected mice from a challenge with malarial parasites, and was specifically active against the liver stage, but inactive against the blood forms of the malaria parasite. This unique specificity in an antimalarial drug makes the development of drug resistance much less likely, and suggests that this compound is a promising new candidate for anti-malarial prophylaxis.

The study has been published online in PLoS Medicine: A plant-derived mor phinan as a novel lead compound active against malaria liver stages. PLoS Med 3(12): e513.

[Photo: Anopheles albimanus mosquito feeding on a human arm. This mosquito is a vector of malaria and mosquito control is a very effective way of reducing the incidence of malaria. Source: Wikipedia]