title: Innate resistance to new antimalarial drugs in Plasmodium falciparum from Nigeria.
abstract: The rapid dissemination of chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum in West Africa has been well documented and represents a significant health threat to autochthonous populations. The methodical development of alternative chemotherapeutic agents demands that dispensing new antimalarial drugs (mefloquine, halofantrine, and artemisinine [qinghaosu]) be closely monitored in order to protect their clinical utility. Indeed, mefloquine-resistant strains of P. falciparum have been reported. We present data from experiments in vitro on the innate resistance of P. falciparum isolates to mefloquine as well as a disturbing observation of transient resistance to artemisinine. The implications for the extended efficacy of these new antimalarial drugs are addressed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Oduola
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sowunmi
authors.forename: W K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Milhous
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Kyle
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Salako
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology; D037621:Artemisinins; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D015767:Mefloquine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009549:Nigeria; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects*; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C031327:artemisinin; D015767:Mefloquine