Antiplasmodial Natural Products: an Update

Overview

Journal Malar J

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Tropical Medicine

Date 2019 Dec 7

PMID 31805944

Citations 54

Authors

Nasir Tajuddeen

Fanie R Van Heerden

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Malaria remains a significant public health challenge in regions of the world where it is endemic. An unprecedented decline in malaria incidences was recorded during the last decade due to the availability of effective control interventions, such as the deployment of artemisinin-based combination therapy and insecticide-treated nets. However, according to the World Health Organization, malaria is staging a comeback, in part due to the development of drug resistance. Therefore, there is an urgent need to discover new anti-malarial drugs. This article reviews the literature on natural products with antiplasmodial activity that was reported between 2010 and 2017.

Methods: Relevant literature was sourced by searching the major scientific databases, including Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Scopus, SciFinder, Pubmed, and Google Scholar, using appropriate keyword combinations.

Results And Discussion: A total of 1524 compounds from 397 relevant references, assayed against at least one strain of Plasmodium, were reported in the period under review. Out of these, 39% were described as new natural products, and 29% of the compounds had IC ≤ 3.0 µM against at least one strain of Plasmodium. Several of these compounds have the potential to be developed into viable anti-malarial drugs. Also, some of these compounds could play a role in malaria eradication by targeting gametocytes. However, the research into natural products with potential for blocking the transmission of malaria is still in its infancy stage and needs to be vigorously pursued.

Citing Articles

Ellagic Acid from and Antimalarial Activity of Korean Medicinal Plants.

Jun H, Han J, Hong M, Fitriana F, Syahada J, Lee W Molecules. 2025; 30(2).

PMID: 39860227 PMC: 11767465. DOI: 10.3390/molecules30020359.

Bioassay-Guided Fractionation of Acetone and Methanol Extracts of Galls with Antimalarial Properties.

Hamidon N, Dona A, Zin N, Nordin N, Sulaiman S, Abu-Bakar N Trop Life Sci Res. 2024; 35(2):167-185.

PMID: 39234468 PMC: 11371400. DOI: 10.21315/tlsr2024.35.2.8.

Antiplasmodial potential of isolated xanthones from Mesua ferrea Linn. roots: an in vitro and in silico molecular docking and pharmacokinetics study.

Konyanee A, Chaniad P, Chukaew A, Payaka A, Septama A, Phuwajaroanpong A BMC Complement Med Ther. 2024; 24(1):282.

PMID: 39054443 PMC: 11270968. DOI: 10.1186/s12906-024-04580-5.

Antimalarial Drug Discovery from Natural and Synthetic Sources.

Mohd Azam N, Othman S, Choo Y Curr Med Chem. 2024; 32(1):87-110.

PMID: 38818916 DOI: 10.2174/0109298673312727240527064833.

The Inhibitory Effects of the Herbals Secondary Metabolites (7α-acetoxyroyleanone, Curzerene, Incensole, Harmaline, and Cannabidiol) on COVID-19: A Molecular Docking Study.

Zargari F, Mohammadi M, Nowroozi A, Morowvat M, Nakhaei E, Rezagholi F Recent Pat Biotechnol. 2024; 18(4):316-331.

PMID: 38817009 DOI: 10.2174/0118722083246773231108045238.

References

Kamkumo R, Ngoutane A, Tchokouaha L, Fokou P, Madiesse E, Legac J . Compounds from Sorindeia juglandifolia (Anacardiaceae) exhibit potent anti-plasmodial activities in vitro and in vivo. Malar J. 2012; 11:382. PMC: 3519527. DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-11-382. View

Hao B, Shen S, Zhao Q . Cytotoxic and antimalarial amaryllidaceae alkaloids from the bulbs of Lycoris radiata. Molecules. 2013; 18(3):2458-68. PMC: 6270500. DOI: 10.3390/molecules18032458. View

Gros E, Al-Mourabit A, Martin M, Sorres J, Vacelet J, Frederich M . Netamines H-N, tricyclic alkaloids from the marine sponge Biemna laboutei and their antimalarial activity. J Nat Prod. 2014; 77(4):818-23. DOI: 10.1021/np4009283. View

Irungu B, Adipo N, Orwa J, Kimani F, Heydenreich M, Midiwo J . Antiplasmodial and cytotoxic activities of the constituents of Turraea robusta and Turraea nilotica. J Ethnopharmacol. 2015; 174:419-25. PMC: 4642656. DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2015.08.039. View

Na M, Ding Y, Wang B, Tekwani B, Schinazi R, Franzblau S . Anti-infective discorhabdins from a deep-water alaskan sponge of the genus Latrunculia. J Nat Prod. 2010; 73(3):383-7. PMC: 4883701. DOI: 10.1021/np900281r. View

White A, Dao K, Vrubliauskas D, Konst Z, Pierens G, Mandi A . Catalyst-Controlled Stereoselective Synthesis Secures the Structure of the Antimalarial Isocyanoterpene Pustulosaisonitrile-1. J Org Chem. 2017; 82(24):13313-13323. DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.7b02421. View

Eaton A, Dalal S, Cassera M, Zhao S, Kingston D . Synthesis and Antimalarial Activity of Mallatojaponin C and Related Compounds. J Nat Prod. 2016; 79(6):1679-83. PMC: 4924580. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.6b00347. View

Wein S, Maynadier M, Van Ba C, Cerdan R, Peyrottes S, Fraisse L . Reliability of antimalarial sensitivity tests depends on drug mechanisms of action. J Clin Microbiol. 2010; 48(5):1651-60. PMC: 2863886. DOI: 10.1128/JCM.02250-09. View

Nondo R, Moshi M, Erasto P, Masimba P, Machumi F, Kidukuli A . Anti-plasmodial activity of Norcaesalpin D and extracts of four medicinal plants used traditionally for treatment of malaria. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2017; 17(1):167. PMC: 5366162. DOI: 10.1186/s12906-017-1673-8. View

10.

von Bargen K, Niehaus E, Bergander K, Brun R, Tudzynski B, Humpf H . Structure elucidation and antimalarial activity of apicidin F: an apicidin-like compound produced by Fusarium fujikuroi. J Nat Prod. 2013; 76(11):2136-40. DOI: 10.1021/np4006053. View

11.

Jimenez-Romero C, Ortiz I, Vicente J, Vera B, Rodriguez A, Nam S . Bioactive Cycloperoxides Isolated from the Puerto Rican Sponge Plakortis halichondrioides. J Nat Prod. 2010; 73(10):1694-700. PMC: 3036788. DOI: 10.1021/np100461t. View

12.

Latif A, Du Y, Dalal S, Fernandez-Murga M, Merino E, Cassera M . Bioactive Neolignans and Other Compounds from Magnolia grandiflora L.: Isolation and Antiplasmodial Activity. Chem Biodivers. 2017; 14(9). PMC: 5679102. DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.201700209. View

13.

Abdalla M, Laatsch H . Flavonoids from Sudanese Albizia zygia (Leguminosae, subfamily Mimosoideae), a plant with antimalarial potency. Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. 2013; 9(1):56-8. PMC: 3746526. DOI: 10.4314/ajtcam.v9i1.8. View

14.

Nasrullah A, Zahari A, Mohamad J, Awang K . Antiplasmodial alkaloids from the bark of Cryptocarya nigra (Lauraceae). Molecules. 2013; 18(7):8009-17. PMC: 6269652. DOI: 10.3390/molecules18078009. View

15.

Bero J, Quetin-Leclercq J . Natural products published in 2009 from plants traditionally used to treat malaria. Planta Med. 2010; 77(6):631-40. DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1250405. View

16.

Bringmann G, Zhang G, Buttner T, Bauckmann G, Kupfer T, Braunschweig H . Jozimine A2: the first dimeric Dioncophyllaceae-type naphthylisoquinoline alkaloid, with three chiral axes and high antiplasmodial activity. Chemistry. 2012; 19(3):916-23. DOI: 10.1002/chem.201202755. View

17.

Chanthathamrongsiri N, Yuenyongsawad S, Wattanapiromsakul C, Plubrukarn A . Bifunctionalized amphilectane diterpenes from the sponge Stylissa cf. massa. J Nat Prod. 2012; 75(4):789-92. DOI: 10.1021/np200959j. View

18.

Farimani M, Bahadori M, Taheri S, Ebrahimi S, Zimmermann S, Brun R . Triterpenoids with rare carbon skeletons from Salvia hydrangea: antiprotozoal activity and absolute configurations. J Nat Prod. 2011; 74(10):2200-5. DOI: 10.1021/np200559c. View

19.

Presley C, Krai P, Dalal S, Su Q, Cassera M, Goetz M . New potently bioactive alkaloids from Crinum erubescens. Bioorg Med Chem. 2016; 24(21):5418-5422. PMC: 5065785. DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2016.08.058. View

20.

Zofou D, Kowa T, Wabo H, Ngemenya M, Tane P, Titanji V . Hypericum lanceolatum (Hypericaceae) as a potential source of new anti-malarial agents: a bioassay-guided fractionation of the stem bark. Malar J. 2011; 10:167. PMC: 3131257. DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-10-167. View