Artemisinin (qinghaosu)--a new gametocytocidal drug for malaria.
Gametocytocidal activity of artemisinin (qinghaosu) has been demonstrated against simian malaria parasite Plasmodium cynomolgi B. Colony-bred Anopheles stephensi were allowed to feed on gametocyte-carrying rhesus monkeys and the mosquito infectivity rate and oocyst count of the infected mosquito gut were recorded on day 8-9 postinfection. Control (pretreatment) feedings of mosquito on gametocyte-carrying monkeys showed good infectivity in different batches of the mosquitoes ranging from 57.14 to 95.0%. Administration of single intramuscular injection of 5 mg/kg artemisinin (suspended in neutralised oil) resulted in complete loss of mosquito infectivity within 24 h of drug administration. This is the first report on the possible use of artemisinin to stop malaria transmission. The drug has no sporontocidal action.
Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India.
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Dutta
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Bajpai
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Vishwakarma
D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000469:parasitology; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D037621:Artemisinins; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000187:drug effects; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity
D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C031327:artemisinin