A new class of antimicrobial agent with broad-spectrum activity has been found effective against Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that is responsible for the most lethal form of human malaria, a new study has found.
The researchers have found that small molecule defensin-mimetic compounds discovered by Radnor, Penn.-based biopharmaceutical company PolyMedi could irreversibly kill P.falciparum responsible for lethal form of human malaria, sparing human red blood cells.
About Mosquito Diseases
Mosquito-borne diseases, like malaria, filaria, dengue, etc are common in places conducive of mosquito breeding. Swamps, ponds and stagnated drainage provide optimal breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Mosquito-borne diseases, like malaria, filaria, dengue, etc are common in places conducive of mosquito breeding. Swamps, ponds and stagnated drainage provide optimal breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Irreversible killing distinguishes a "cidal," or true killing mechanism, from a "static" mechanism that holds the infectious agent at bay while the body's immune system fights off the infection.
"If we treat for ten hours and remove the compound, the parasites never recover," said Greenbaum.
They are believed to work by inserting themselves inside the lipid bilayers of cells that are deficient in cholesterol, thereby causing the cells to rupture and die.
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Malaria - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Prevention, Treatment
Malaria is caused by a parasite that enters blood through the bite of an infected mosquito. It is characterized by fever, vomiting, shivering, sweating and other symptoms.
Malaria is caused by a parasite that enters blood through the bite of an infected mosquito. It is characterized by fever, vomiting, shivering, sweating and other symptoms.
The study was presented at 48th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC).
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