Antimalarial Activity Of Compounds Research Articles

Antimalarial activity of four plants used in traditional medicine in Mali.

Mitragyna inermis (De Willd.) O. Kuntze Rubiaceae, Nauclea latifolia (Sm.) Rubiaceae, Glinus oppositofolius (Linn) Molluginaceae and Trichilia roka (Forsk.) Chiv. Meliaceae were investigated for their in vitro antimalarial activity. Leaves, roots and stem barks were submitted to aqueous, hydromethano and chloroform extractions and antimalarial activity was evaluated by microscopic and flow cytometric analysis. The results present evidence that the alkaloids contained in chloroform extracts and ursolic acid, purified from the hydromethanol extract of M. inermis induced a significant decrease of parasite proliferation. However, aqueous extracts, traditionally used for medication did not show high antimalarial activity. Statistical comparison between microscopic and cytometric analysis demonstrated the validity of this new technique for the screening of active antimalarial compounds isolated from plants.

Conformational analysis of the antimalarial agent quinine

Quinine, an active antimalarial compound, is one of the most abundant constituents extracted from the bark ofCinchona trees. The activity differences among structurally related molecules appear to depend on the absolute stereochemistry of some functional groups, a result that has stimulated a detailed conformational analysis of these molecules of biological interest. In the present study the potential energy surface (PES) for the antimalarial agent quinine (C20H24O2N2) has been comprehensively investigated using the molecular mechanics (MM) and quantum mechanical semiem-pirical AM1 and PM3 methods. Six distinct minimum-energy structures are located on the multidimensional PES and also characterized as true minima through harmonic frequency analysis. The relative stabilities and thermodynamic properties are reported. The coexistence of different conformers is discussed for the first time in the literature based on the calculated transition-state (TS) structures connecting the six minima located on the PES for the quinine molecule. The theoretical results reported in the present study are in agreement with the experimental proposal, based on NMR data, that there are two possible forms for the quinine molecule in solution.

Conformational analysis of the antimalarial agent quinidine

Quinidine is an active antimalarial compound extracted from the bark of Cinchona trees. The activity differences among structurally related molecules appears to depend on the absolute stereochemistry of some functional groups, a result that stimulated a detailed conformational analysis of these molecules of biological interest. In the present study, the potential energy surface (PES) for the antimalarial agent quinidine (C 20H 24O 2N 2) has been comprehensively investigated using the molecular mechanics (MM) and quantum mechanical semiempirical AM1 and PM3 methods. Six distinct minimum energy conformations were located on the multidimensional PES and also characterized as true minima through harmonic frequency analysis. The relative stabilities and thermodynamic properties are reported. The coexistence of different conformers is discussed for the first time in the literature based on the transition state (TS) structures located on the PES for the quinidine molecule. The theoretical results reported in the present study are in agreement with the experimental proposal, based on NMR data, that there are two conformations existing in solution for the quinidine molecule.

Synthesis of some novel amodiaquine analogues as potential antimalarial and antifilarial compounds.

Ten amodiaquine analogues, which are hybridized molecules of amodiaquine and diethylcarbamazine, were designed and synthesized. Six analogues, all bearing a basic tertiary amino function at their side chain, were active against Plasmodium berghei in mice and inhibited the mobility of adult worms and microfilariae of Breinlia booliati in vitro. They were inactive against Litomosoides carinii in Mastomys natalensis. The most active antimalarial compound, 7-chloro-4-[alpha-[[N-(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl)carbonyl]amino]-4-hydroxy-m-toluidino]quinoline, had twice the activity of amodiaquine. O-Methylation and N-ethylation generally reduced antimalarial activity. Analogues which lack a basic tertiary amino function at their side chain were also lacking in both antimalarial and antifilarial activities.

Experiments with antimalarial drugs in man: V. Experiments with an active metabolite of proguanil and an active metabolite of 5943

10,732 and 10,580, metabolites respectively of 5943 and of proguanil, were found to be active antimalarial compounds, qualitatively similar to the parent compounds in their activity on all stages of the life cycle of P. falciparum. They are, however, very rapidly excreted and because of this are less suitable for use as antimalarial drugs than existing drugs.