scholarly journals Artemisinin Therapy for Malaria in Hemoglobinopathies: A Systematic Review

2018 ◽  
Vol 66 (5) ◽  
pp. 799-804 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sri Riyati Sugiarto ◽  
Brioni R Moore ◽  
Julie Makani ◽  
Timothy M E Davis

Abstract Artemisinin derivatives are widely used antimalarial drugs. There is some evidence from in vitro, animal and clinical studies that hemoglobinopathies may alter their disposition and antimalarial activity. This review assesses relevant data in α-thalassemia, sickle cell disease (SCD), β-thalassemia and hemoglobin E. There is no convincing evidence that the disposition of artemisinin drugs is affected by hemoglobinopathies. Although in vitro studies indicate that Plasmodium falciparum cultured in thalassemic erythrocytes is relatively resistant to the artemisinin derivatives, mean 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50s) are much lower than in vivo plasma concentrations after recommended treatment doses. Since IC50s are not increased in P. falciparum cultures using SCD erythrocytes, delayed post-treatment parasite clearance in SCD may reflect hyposplenism. As there have been no clinical studies suggesting that hemoglobinopathies significantly attenuate the efficacy of artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) in uncomplicated malaria, recommended artemisinin doses as part of ACT remain appropriate in this patient group.

2011 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 703-707 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Wittlin ◽  
Eric Ekland ◽  
J Carl Craft ◽  
Julie Lotharius ◽  
Ian Bathurst ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTWith the emergence ofPlasmodium falciparuminfections exhibiting increased parasite clearance times in response to treatment with artemisinin-based combination therapies, the need for new therapeutic agents is urgent. Solithromycin, a potent new fluoroketolide currently in development, has been shown to be an effective, broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent. Malarial parasites possess an unusual organelle, termed the apicoplast, which carries a cryptic genome of prokaryotic origin that encodes its own translation and transcription machinery. Given the similarity of apicoplast and bacterial ribosomes, we have examined solithromycin for antimalarial activity. Other antibiotics known to target the apicoplast, such as the macrolide azithromycin, demonstrate a delayed-death effect, whereby treated asexual blood-stage parasites die in the second generation of drug exposure. Solithromycin demonstrated potentin vitroactivity against the NF54 strain ofP. falciparum, as well as against two multidrug-resistant strains, Dd2 and 7G8. The dramatic increase in potency observed after two generations of exposure suggests that it targets the apicoplast. Solithromycin also retained potency against azithromycin-resistant parasites derived from Dd2 and 7G8, although these lines did demonstrate a degree of cross-resistance. In anin vivomodel ofP. bergheiinfection in mice, solithromycin demonstrated a 100% cure rate when administered as a dosage regimen of four doses of 100 mg/kg of body weight, the same dose required for artesunate or chloroquine to achieve 100% cure rates in this rodent malaria model. These promisingin vitroandin vivodata support further investigations into the development of solithromycin as an antimalarial agent.


2006 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 651-656 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harald Noedl ◽  
Srivicha Krudsood ◽  
Wattana Leowattana ◽  
Noppadon Tangpukdee ◽  
Wipa Thanachartwet ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Azithromycin when used in combination with faster-acting antimalarials has proven efficacious in treating Plasmodium falciparum malaria in phase 2 clinical trials. The aim of this study was to establish optimal combination ratios for azithromycin in combination with either dihydroartemisinin or quinine, to determine the clinical correlates of in vitro drug sensitivity for these compounds, and to assess the cross-sensitivity patterns. Seventy-three fresh P. falciparum isolates originating from patients from the western border regions of Thailand were successfully tested for their drug susceptibility in a histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2) assay. With overall mean fractional inhibitory concentrations of 0.84 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.77 to 1.08) and 0.78 (95% CI = 0.72 to 0.98), the interactions between azithromycin and dihydroartemisinin, as well as quinine, were classified as additive, with a tendency toward synergism. The strongest tendency toward synergy was seen with a combination ratio of 1:547 for the combination with dihydroartemisinin and 1:44 with quinine. The geometric mean 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of azithromycin was 2,570.3 (95% CI = 2,175.58 to 3,036.58) ng/ml. The IC50s for mefloquine, quinine, and chloroquine were 11.42, 64.4, and 54.4 ng/ml, respectively, suggesting a relatively high level of background resistance in this patient population. Distinct correlations (R = 0.53; P = 0.001) between quinine in vitro results and parasite clearance may indicate a compromised sensitivity to this drug. The correlation with dihydroartemisinin data was weaker (R = 0.34; P = 0.038), and no such correlation was observed for azithromycin. Our in vitro data confirm that azithromycin in combination with artemisinin derivatives or quinine exerts additive to synergistic interactions, shows no cross-sensitivity with traditional antimalarials, and has substantial antimalarial activity on its own.


Parasitology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 143 (11) ◽  
pp. 1421-1432 ◽  
Author(s):  
SWAROOP KUMAR PANDEY ◽  
SUBHASISH BISWAS ◽  
SARIKA GUNJAN ◽  
BHAVANA SINGH CHAUHAN ◽  
SUNIL KUMAR SINGH ◽  
...  

SUMMARYAiming to develop new artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) for malaria, antimalarial effect of a new series of pyrrolidine-acridine hybrid in combination with artemisinin derivatives was investigated. Synthesis, antimalarial and cytotoxic evaluation of a series of hybrid of 2-(3-(substitutedbenzyl)pyrrolidin-1-yl)alkanamines and acridine were performed and mode of action of the lead compound was investigated. In vivo pharmacodynamic properties (parasite clearance time, parasite reduction ratio, dose and regimen determination) against multidrug resistant (MDR) rodent malaria parasite and toxicological parameters (median lethal dose, liver function test, kidney function test) were also investigated. 6-Chloro-N-(4-(3-(3,4-dimethoxybenzyl)pyrrolidin-1-yl)butyl)-2-methoxyacridin-9-amine (15c) has shown a dose dependent haem bio-mineralization inhibition and was found to be the most effective and safe compound against MDR malaria parasite in Swiss mice model. It displayed best antimalarial potential with artemether (AM) in vitro as well as in vivo. The combination also showed favourable pharmacodynamic properties and therapeutic response in mice with established MDR malaria infection and all mice were cured at the determined doses. The combination did not show toxicity at the doses administered to the Swiss mice. Taken together, our findings suggest that compound 15c is a potential partner with AM for the ACT and could be explored for further development.


2005 ◽  
Vol 49 (9) ◽  
pp. 3631-3639 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivier Nicolas ◽  
Delphine Margout ◽  
Nicolas Taudon ◽  
Sharon Wein ◽  
Michèle Calas ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT A new approach to malarial chemotherapy based on quaternary ammonium that targets membrane biogenesis during intraerythrocytic Plasmodium falciparum development has recently been developed. To increase the bioavailability, nonionic chemically modified prodrugs were synthesized. In this paper, the pharmacological properties of a bisthiazolium salt (T3) and its bioprecursor (TE3) were studied. Their antimalarial activities were determined in vitro against the growth of P. falciparum and in vivo against the growth of P. vinckei in mice. Pharmacokinetic evaluations were performed after T3 (1.3 and 3 mg/kg of body weight administered intravenously; 6.4 mg/kg administered intraperitoneally) and TE3 (1.5 and 3 mg/kg administered intravenously; 12 mg/kg administered orally) administrations to rats. After intraperitoneal administration, very low doses offer protection in a murine model of malaria (50% efficient dose [ED50] of 0.2 to 0.25 mg/kg). After oral administration, the ED50 values were 13 and 5 mg/kg for T3 and TE3, respectively. Both compounds exerted antimalarial activity in the low nanomolar range. After TE3 administration, rapid prodrug-drug conversion occurred; the mean values of the pharmacokinetic parameters for T3 were as follows: total clearance, 1 liter/h/kg; steady-state volume of distribution, 14.8 liters/kg; and elimination half-life, 12 h. After intravenous administration, T3 plasma concentrations increased in proportion to the dose. The absolute bioavailability was 72% after intraperitoneal administration (T3); it was 15% after oral administration (TE3). T3 plasma concentrations (8 nM) 24 h following oral administration of TE3 were higher than the 50% inhibitory concentrations for the most chloroquine-resistant strains of P. falciparum (6.3 nM).


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maisha Khair Nima ◽  
Saiful Arefeen Sazed ◽  
Angana Mukherjee ◽  
Muhammad Riadul Haque Hossainey ◽  
Ching Swe Phru ◽  
...  

The emergence of resistance to artemisinin drugs threatens global malaria control. Resistance is widely seen in South East Asia (SEA) and Myanmar, but not comprehensively assessed in Bangladesh. This is due to lack of measuring parasite clearance times in response to drug treatment, a gold standard used to track artemisinin resistance (AR), in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), where >90% of malaria occurs in Bangladesh. Here we report delay in clinical parasite clearance half-lives > 5 h characteristic of AR, in Bandarban, a south–eastern rural, CHT district with escalating malaria and bordering Myanmar. Thirty–one and 68 malaria patients respectively presented in the clinic in 2018 and 2019, and this increase well correlated to the district–level malaria surge and rise in rainfall, humidity and temperature. A total of 27 patients with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria mono–infection, after administration of an artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) showed median (range) parasite clearance half–life and time of 5.6 (1.5 —9.6) and 24 (12—48) hours (h) respectively. The frequency distribution of parasite clearance half–life and time was bimodal, with a slower parasite clearance of 8 h in 20% of the participants. There was however, no detectable parasitemia 72 h after initiating ACT. Half-life clearance of > 5h, respectively seen in 35% and 40% of participants in 2018 and 2019, lacked in correlation to initial parasitemia, blood count parameters or resistance mutations of PfKelch13 (K13, the major parasite marker of AR). Culture adapted strains await assessment of in vitro resistance and new parasite determinants of AR.


1997 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 523-529 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Gumila ◽  
M L Ancelin ◽  
A M Delort ◽  
G Jeminet ◽  
H J Vial

Large-scale in vitro screening of different types of ionophores previously pinpointed nine compounds that were very active and selective in vitro against Plasmodium falciparum; their in vitro and in vivo antimalarial effects were further studied. Addition of the ionophores to synchronized P. falciparum suspensions revealed that all P. falciparum stages were sensitive to the drugs. However, the schizont stages were three- to ninefold more sensitive, and 12 h was required for complete parasite clearance. Pretreatment of healthy erythrocytes with toxic doses of ionophores for 24 to 48 h showed that the activity was not due to an irreversible effect on the host erythrocyte. No preferential ionophore adsorption in infected or uninfected erythrocytes occurred. On the other hand, ionophore molecules strongly bound to serum proteins since increasing the serum concentration from 2 to 50% led to almost a 25-fold parallel increase in the ionophore 50% inhibitory concentration. Mice infected with the malaria parasites Plasmodium vinckei petteri or Plasmodium chabaudi were successfully treated with eight ionophores in a 4-day suppressive test. The 50% effective dose after intraperitoneal administration ranged from 0.4 to 4.1 mg/kg of body weight, and the therapeutic indices were about 5 for all ionophores except monensin A methyl ether, 5-bromo lasalocid A, and gramicidin D, whose therapeutic indices were 12, 18, and 344, respectively. These three compounds were found to be curative, with no recrudescence. Gramicidin D, which presented impressive antimalarial activity, requires parenteral administration, while 5-bromo lasalocid A has the major advantage of being active after oral administration. Overall, the acceptable levels of toxicity and the good in vivo therapeutic indices in the rodent model highlight the interesting potential of these ionophores for the treatment of malaria in higher animals.


Pharmaceutics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 825 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Lantero ◽  
Carlos Raúl Aláez-Versón ◽  
Pilar Romero ◽  
Teresa Sierra ◽  
Xavier Fernàndez-Busquets

Heparin is a promising antimalarial drug due to its activity in inhibiting Plasmodium invasion of red blood cells and to the lack of resistance evolution by the parasite against it, but its potent anticoagulant activity is preventing the advance of heparin along the clinical pipeline. We have determined, in in vitro Plasmodium falciparum cultures, the antimalarial activity of heparin-derived structures of different origins and sizes, to obtain formulations having a good balance of in vitro safety (neither cytotoxic nor hemolytic), low anticoagulant activity (≤23 IU/mL according to activated partial thromboplastin time assays), and not too low antimalarial activity (IC50 at least around 100 µg/mL). This led to the selection of five chemically modified heparins according to the parameters explored, i.e., chain length, sulfation degree and position, and glycol-split, and whose in vivo toxicity indicated their safety for mice up to an intravenous dose of 320 mg/kg. The in vivo antimalarial activity of the selected formulations was poor as a consequence of their short blood half-life. The covalent crosslinking of heparin onto the surface of polyethylene glycol-containing liposomes did not affect its antimalarial activity in vitro and provided higher initial plasma concentrations, although it did not increase mean circulation time. Finding a suitable nanocarrier to impart long blood residence times to the modified heparins described here will be the next step toward new heparin-based antimalarial strategies.


1987 ◽  
Vol 58 (03) ◽  
pp. 921-926 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Seifried ◽  
P Tanswell

SummaryIn vitro, concentration-dependent effects of rt-PA on a range of coagulation and fibrinolytic assays in thawed plasma samples were investigated. In absence of a fibrinolytic inhibitor, 2 μg rt-PA/ml blood (3.4 μg/ml plasma) caused prolongation of clotting time assays and decreases of plasminogen (to 44% of the control value), fibrinogen (to 27%), α2-antiplasmin (to 5%), FV (to 67%), FVIII (to 41%) and FXIII (to 16%).Of three inhibitors tested, a specific polyclonal anti-rt-PA antibody prevented interferences in all fibrinolytic and most clotting assays. D-Phe-Pro-Arg-CH2Cl (PPACK) enabled correct assays of fibrinogen and fibrinolytic parameters but interfered with coagulometric assays dependent on endogenous thrombin generation. Aprotinin was suitable only for a restricted range of both assay types.Most in vitro effects were observed only with rt-PA plasma concentrations in excess of therapeutic values. Nevertheless it is concluded that for clinical application, collection of blood samples on either specific antibody or PPACK is essential for a correct assessment of in vivo effects of rt-PA on the haemostatic system in patients undergoing fibrinolytic therapy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xi He ◽  
Wenjun Hu ◽  
Fanhua Meng ◽  
Xingzhou Li

Background: The broad-spectrum antiparasitic drug nitazoxanide (N) has been repositioned as a broad-spectrum antiviral drug. Nitazoxanide’s in vivo antiviral activities are mainly attributed to its metabolitetizoxanide, the deacetylation product of nitazoxanide. In reference to the pharmacokinetic profile of nitazoxanide, we proposed the hypotheses that the low plasma concentrations and the low system exposure of tizoxanide after dosing with nitazoxanide result from significant first pass effects in the liver. It was thought that this may be due to the unstable acyloxy bond of nitazoxanide. Objective: Tizoxanide prodrugs, with the more stable formamyl substituent attached to the hydroxyl group rather than the acetyl group of nitazoxanide, were designed with the thought that they might be more stable in plasma. It was anticipated that these prodrugs might be less affected by the first pass effect, which would improve plasma concentrations and system exposure of tizoxanide. Method: These O-carbamoyl tizoxanide prodrugs were synthesized and evaluated in a mouse model for pharmacokinetic (PK) properties and in an in vitro model for plasma stabilities. Results: The results indicated that the plasma concentration and the systemic exposure of tizoxanide (T) after oral administration of O-carbamoyl tizoxanide prodrugs were much greater than that produced by equimolar dosage of nitazoxanide. It was also found that the plasma concentration and the systemic exposure of tizoxanide glucuronide (TG) were much lower than that produced by nitazoxanide. Conclusion: Further analysis showed that the suitable plasma stability of O-carbamoyl tizoxanide prodrugs is the key factor in maximizing the plasma concentration and the systemic exposure of the active ingredient tizoxanide.


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