glaucarubinone and Malaria

Prevention and treatment of malaria are endangered by the appearance of chemoresistance against the common anti-malarial drugs by Plasmodium falciparum. Today, only a quinoline derivative, mefloquine, is a safe and effective agent against P. falciparum. An in vitro antiplasmodial activity having been found for the quassinoid glaucarubinone we tested its in vivo therapeutic action on mice infected with a P. berghei strain. At low doses, glaucarubinone retarded mortality by exerting a partial, temporary, inhibition of parasitaemia; its toxicity, however, precludes, further applications at the present time.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Animals; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Female; Glaucarubin; Injections, Intraperitoneal; Malaria; Mice; Phenanthrenes; Plasmodium berghei