The significant steps in understanding the way that the anti-malarial drug primaquine have been taken by LSTM researchers. The new findings would lead to the development of new, safer and more effective treatments for malaria.
The work, which was predominantly funded following an award from the Medical Research Council, has been carried out by the LSTM's Centre for Drugs and Diagnostic (CDD). The results are published in the journal Nature Communications.
Malaria
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.
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‘The search for new antimalarials is vital in the drive towards global malaria elimination, especially given that PQ is potentially lethal to people with the genetic disorder glucose-6-phoshate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, which affects millions of people in malaria-endemic countries.’
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LSTM's Professor Giancarlo Biagini explained: "The antimalarial primaquine is a cornerstone of global efforts to eliminate malaria, for some 70 years it has been the only drug registered that has been demonstrated to be able to cure relapsing malaria and block transmission of the disease. However, little has previously been understood about the drug's mode of action, which is seriously undermining efforts to improve the safety and pharmacology profile of this important drug class."
The team at LSTM, working with key collaborators including Professor Paul O'Neill (University of Liverpool), Professor David Baker (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) and Professor Sangeeta Bhatia (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA) were able to replicate the interaction between the drug and the host enzymes which catalyse the generation of cytotoxic amounts of hydrogen peroxide from metabolites of PQ. The experiments were able to demonstrate why the drug displays exquisite selectivity against specific parasite stages and also explains why only very small (nM) catalytic concentrations of metabolites are necessary to kill the parasites.
![Quiz on Malaria]( "Quiz on Malaria")
Malaria is a common parasitic disease of the tropics, resulting in a million deaths every year. Early detection and adequate treatment at the right time can reduce deaths due to malaria. Test your knowledge on this condition by taking this quiz.
"This is why an understanding of how the drug works is central to replicating its most significant elements." Continued Professor Biagini: "This work has been possible with CDD given the multidisciplinary nature of the team. The current study makes a significant advancement in our understanding of PQ mechanism of action. This new knowledge is key to the development of newer and safer, broad-spectrum antimalarial drugs, work currently underway within our group."
Source: Eurekalert
Quiz on Malaria
Malaria is a common parasitic disease of the tropics, resulting in a million deaths every year. Early detection and adequate treatment at the right time can reduce deaths due to malaria. Test your knowledge on this condition by taking this quiz.
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"This is why an understanding of how the drug works is central to replicating its most significant elements." Continued Professor Biagini: "This work has been possible with CDD given the multidisciplinary nature of the team. The current study makes a significant advancement in our understanding of PQ mechanism of action. This new knowledge is key to the development of newer and safer, broad-spectrum antimalarial drugs, work currently underway within our group."
Source: Eurekalert
Interesting Facts and Statistics about Malaria
Malaria is endemic to many parts of the world. Many lack basic knowledge about preventive measures or medications to fight malaria. Learn about some useful and interesting malaria facts.
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