Australian scientists say malarial parasite is fast developing resistance to chloroquine, the inexpensive and effective drug used to treat malaria.
Dr Rowena Martin, a biochemist, and colleagues at the Australian National University in Canberra have published their study in the journal Science.
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.
However, she added that the malaria parasite had been building resistance against the drug introduced in the 1930s and it had even become totally ineffective in some parts of the world.
She said: "Now we're actually pretty much down to a handful of drugs and those drugs are all quite expensive.
Mosquito Diseases - Malaria Reduce the Risk
Encyclopedia section of medindia explains in brief about Reduce the risk of malaria
Encyclopedia section of medindia explains in brief about Reduce the risk of malaria
When the malaria parasite enters the bloodstream it feeds on haemoglobin and breaks it up into amino acids.
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Chloroquine
Chloroquine is used for the treatment of Malaria, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus Erythematosus & COVID-19 Infection.
Mechanism of action: It acts by blocking the action of enzyme ‘heme polymerase’ in malarial parasites and this leads to accumulation of heme - which is toxic to the malarial parasite. This leads to the death of the malarial parasite.
Update:
•FDA warns against the use of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine for treating COVID-19 outside the hospital setting or a clinical trial due to high risk of heart rhythm issues.
• Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine gained attention in spite of sayings by the World Health Organization (WHO) that there is no definitive evidence they work for COVID-19 patients.
• Larger, high-quality randomized clinical trials may be needed in order to precisely evaluate its effectiveness, according to University of Oxford's Kome Gbinigie, author of a report on anti-malarial testing for Covid-19.
• More than 20 trials are being carried out on chloroquine for treating COVID-19 in the US, UK, Spain, and China.
Chloroquine is used for the treatment of Malaria, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus Erythematosus & COVID-19 Infection.
Mechanism of action: It acts by blocking the action of enzyme ‘heme polymerase’ in malarial parasites and this leads to accumulation of heme - which is toxic to the malarial parasite. This leads to the death of the malarial parasite.
Update:
•FDA warns against the use of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine for treating COVID-19 outside the hospital setting or a clinical trial due to high risk of heart rhythm issues.
• Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine gained attention in spite of sayings by the World Health Organization (WHO) that there is no definitive evidence they work for COVID-19 patients.
• Larger, high-quality randomized clinical trials may be needed in order to precisely evaluate its effectiveness, according to University of Oxford's Kome Gbinigie, author of a report on anti-malarial testing for Covid-19.
• More than 20 trials are being carried out on chloroquine for treating COVID-19 in the US, UK, Spain, and China.
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Treatment approach for complicated malaria
Two types of drugs are used to treat malaria. Blood schizonticides, which attack parasites in red blood cells, are used in acute infection to prevent or terminate the clinical attack.
Two types of drugs are used to treat malaria. Blood schizonticides, which attack parasites in red blood cells, are used in acute infection to prevent or terminate the clinical attack.
Now, the Australian team has proved that PfCRT "provides an exit route for chloroquine," which does not reach the concentration required to kill the parasite.
Martin believes their findings will help in the development of more effective anti-malarial drugs.
Although, Martin said the parasite develops immunity to any drug in the long run, a combination of drugs can be used for better treatment.
She said: "It is a little inevitable the pathogen will catch up eventually.
"If you could have drugs that have opposing selective forces on the protein then you're on a winner."
Source-ANI
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