Evaluation of antiplasmodial efficacy of some synthetic compounds and drugs

Abstract

The emergence of drug-resistant strains of Plasmodium spp. impede the progress of malaria eradication programs. Drug repurposing is a new approach to screen FDA approved drugs used for the treatment of other ailments as chemotherapeutic agents against malaria. In addition, synthetic compounds having chemical moiety akin to marketed drugs can be assessed against the parasite. Thus, the present study explores the antimalarial efficacy of tetrahydrobetacarboline derivative 9a, tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib, phosphodiesterase inhibitor tadalafil along with bioavailability enhancer leucovorin. Gefitinib and 9a revealed substantial antimalarial activity against P. falciparum in vitro and P. berghei in vivo with plausible synergistic activity with artesunate. newline