Silymarin,a polyphenolic flavonoid impede Plasmodium falciparum growth through interaction with heme

Abstract

A polyphenolic flavonoid, Silymarin isolated from Silybum marianum is widely known for its hepatoprotective action. In the present study anti-plasmodial activity of Silymarin has been demonstrated for the first time having IC₅₀ of 14?±?0.33?μM against the NF-54 strain of P. falciparum with high selectivity index (>100). The parasitostatic action is exerted through inhibition of β-hematin/hemozoin formation which is due to the interaction (Kd?=?3.63?±?0.9µM) of silymarin with free heme in a Stoichiometry of 1:1 Silymarin: heme complex resulting into heme-induced membrane damage in the parasite. Silymarin could hinder the glutathione and hydrogen peroxide-induced heme detoxification. Silymarin also induces apoptosis in the parasite through the elevation of caspase-3 level in a dose-dependent manner. Results from the docking studies suggest that Silymarin interacts with heme.     

Exploring the structural requirements in multiple chemical scaffolds for the selective inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum calcium-dependent protein kinase-1 (PfCDPK-1) by 3D-pharmacophore modelling,and docking studies

Current research on antimalarial protein kinases has provided an opportunity to design kinase-based antimalarial drugs. We have developed a common feature-based pharmacophore model from a set of multiple chemical scaffolds including derivatives of 3,6-imidazopyridazines, pyrazolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines and imidazo[1,5-a]pyrazines, in order to incorporate the maximum structural diversity information in the model for the Plasmodium falciparum calcium-dependent protein kinase-1 (PfCDPK-1) target. The best pharmacophore model (Hypo-1) with the essential features of two hydrogen bond donors (HBD), one hydrophobic aromatic (HYAr) and one ring aromatic (RA) showed the classification accuracies of 86.27%, 78.43% and 100.00% in labelling the training and test set (test set-1 and test set-2) compounds into more active and less active classes. In order to identify the crucial interaction between multiple scaffold ligands and the target protein, we first developed the homology model using a template structure of P. bergheii (PbCDPK1; PDB ID: 3Q5I), and thereafter performed the docking studies. The residues such as Lys85, Phe147, Tyr148, Leu198, Val211, and Asp212 were found to be the most important interacting residues for possessing PfCDPK-1 inhibitory activity.     

Drug Repurposing: A Review of Old and New Antibiotics for the Treatment of Malaria: Identifying Antibiotics with a Fast Onset of Antiplasmodial Action

Malaria is one of the most life-threatening infectious diseases and constitutes a major health problem, especially in Africa. Although artemisinin combination therapies remain efficacious to treat malaria, the emergence of resistant parasites emphasizes the urgent need of new alternative chemotherapies. One strategy is the repurposing of existing drugs. Herein, we reviewed the antimalarial effects of marketed antibiotics, and described in detail the fast-acting antibiotics that showed activity in nanomolar concentrations. Antibiotics have been used for prophylaxis and treatment of malaria for many years and are of particular interest because they might exert a different mode of action than current antimalarials, and can be used simultaneously to treat concomitant bacterial infections.     

Synthesis,characterization and antimalarial activity of new iridium–chloroquine complexes

Chloroquine base (CQ) reacts with [Ir(COD)Cl]₂ and IrCl₃ · 3H₂O to yield of Ir(CQ)Cl(COD) (1) and Ir₂Cl₆(CQ) · 3H₂O (2), respectively. Reaction of [Ir(COD)Cl]₂ with CQ in the presence of NH₄PF₆ leaded to [Ir(CQ)(Solv)₂]PF₆ (3). The three new iridium–CQ complexes were characterized by a combination of elemental analysis, IR and NMR spectroscopies and evaluated in vitro against Plasmodium beghei. Comparison of the IC₅₀ values obtained with the experimental compounds with that determined for chloroquine diphosphate indicated a higher activity for complex 2, while complexes 1 and 3 showed a similar and lower activity, respectively.     

Antiprotozoal Activity of Azabicyclo-Nonanes Linked to Tetrazole or Sulfonamide Cores

N-(Aminoalkyl)azabicyclo[3.2.2]nonanes possess antiplasmodial and antitrypanosomal activity. A series with terminal tetrazole or sulfonamido partial structure was prepared. The structures of all new compounds were confirmed by NMR and IR spectroscopy and by mass spectral data. A single crystal structure analysis enabled the distinction between isomers. The antiprotozoal activities were examined in vitro against strains of Plasmodium falciparum and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense (STIB 900). The most active sulfonamide and tetrazole derivates showed activities in the submicromolar range.     

New Halogenated Compounds from Halimeda macroloba Seaweed with Potential Inhibitory Activity against Malaria

Malaria is one of the most important infectious diseases worldwide. The causative of the most severe forms of malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, has developed resistances against all the available antimalarial drugs. In the present study, the phytochemical investigation of the green seaweed Halimeda macroloba has afforded two new compounds 1–2, along with 4 known ones 3–6. The structures of the compounds had been confirmed using 1& 2D-NMR and HRESIMS analyses. Extensive machine-learning-supported virtual-screening suggested cytochrome-C enzyme as a potential target for compound 2. Docking, absolute-binding-free-energy (ΔG_binding) and molecular-dynamics-simulation (MDS) of compound 2 revealed the strong binding interaction of this compound with cytochrome-C. In vitro testing for crude extract and isolated compounds revealed the potential in vitro inhibitory activity of both extract and compound 2 against P. falciparum. The crude extract was able to inhibit the parasite growth with an IC₅₀ value of 1.8 ± 0.35 µg/mL. Compound 2 also showed good inhibitory activity with an IC₅₀ value of 3.2 ± 0.23 µg/mL. Meanwhile, compound 6 showed moderate inhibitory activity with an IC₅₀ value of 19.3 ± 0.51 µg/mL. Accordingly, the scaffold of compound 2 can be considered as a good lead compound for the future development of new antimalarial agents.     

Bridging the Gap in Malaria Parasite Resistance,Current Interventions,and the Way Forward from in Silico Perspective: A Review

The past decade has seen most antimalarial drugs lose their clinical potency stemming from parasite resistance. Despite immense efforts by researchers to mitigate this global scourge, a breakthrough is yet to be achieved, as most current malaria chemotherapies suffer the same fate. Though the etiology of parasite resistance is not well understood, the parasite’s complex life has been implicated. A drug-combination therapy with artemisinin as the central drug, artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), is currently the preferred malaria chemotherapy in most endemic zones. The emerging concern of parasite resistance to artemisinin, however, has compromised this treatment paradigm. Membrane-bound Ca²⁺-transporting ATPase and endocytosis pathway protein, Kelch13, among others, are identified as drivers in plasmodium parasite resistance to artemisinin. To mitigate parasite resistance to current chemotherapy, computer-aided drug design (CADD) techniques have been employed in the discovery of novel drug targets and the development of small molecule inhibitors to provide an intriguing alternative for malaria treatment. The evolution of plasmepsins, a class of aspartyl acid proteases, has gained tremendous attention in drug discovery, especially the non-food vacuole. They are expressed at multi-stage of the parasite’s life cycle and involve in hepatocytes’ egress, invasion, and dissemination of the parasite within the human host, further highlighting their essentiality. In silico exploration of non-food vacuole plasmepsin, PMIX and PMX unearthed the dual enzymatic inhibitory mechanism of the WM382 and 49c, novel plasmepsin inhibitors presently spearheading the search for potent antimalarial. These inhibitors impose structural compactness on the protease, distorting the characteristic twist motion. Pharmacophore modeling and structure activity of these compounds led to the generation of hits with better affinity and inhibitory prowess towards PMIX and PMX. Despite these headways, the major obstacle in targeting PM is the structural homogeneity among its members and to human Cathepsin D. The incorporation of CADD techniques described in the study at early stages of drug discovery could help in selective inhibition to augment malaria chemotherapy.     

Synthesis and Antimalarial‐Activity Evaluation of Tetraoxane?Triazine Hybrids and Spiro[piperidine‐4,3′‐tetraoxanes]

A series of tetraoxane? triazine hybrids and spiro[piperidine‐4,3′‐tetraoxanes] have been synthesized, and all the compounds were screened for in vitro antimalarial activity against chloroquine‐sensitive (D6) and chloroquine‐resistant (W2) strains of Plasmodium falciparum. Most of the spiro[piperidine‐4,3′‐tetraoxanes] exhibited moderate to good antimalarial activities, and two compounds have shown good antimalarial activity with IC₅₀ values in the range of 0.30 to 0.70 μM against both the strains with high selectivity index and no cytotoxicity towards mammalian kidney cell line.     

Utilization of Nucleotide Probes in PCR‐ELISA Procedure for the Quantitative Determination of Plasmodium Falciparum DNA in Malaria

Abstract

The research work reported herein is the development of a simple and specific quantitative procedure for the determination of P. falciparum DNA in malaria that involves the direct detection of the highly 42‐kDa conserved C‐terminal regiopn of P. falciparum merozoite surface protein gene (MSP1 ₄₂ gene). This procedure entails the amplification of the MSP1 ₄₂ gene by using the PCR technique in the presence of digoxigenin‐11‐dUTP and the synthesis of the specific biotin label nucleotide probes directed to the MSP1 ₄₂ gene. These specific probes are then used in the Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for the quantitative determination of the MSP1 ₄₂ gene which leads to the quantitative determination of P. falciparum DNA in malaria for quantitative diagnostic purpose. The P. falciparum malaria diagnostic results obtained from a small number of 18 whole blood samples show that the present quantitative PCR‐ELISA procedure allows the quantitative determination of P. falciparum DNA in malaria with a sensitivity and specificity over to those of the current standard microscopic examination. This quantitative PCR‐ELISA procedure is not only important for quantitative P. falciparum malaria diagnosis but also useful for monitoring the efficacy of any existing anti‐malarial drug as well as for testing the efficacy of any malaria vaccine.