Antimalarial activity of azithromycin and erythromycin against Plasmodium berghei.
Several antibiotics that inhibit protein synthesis on 70S ribosomes, including the macrolide erythromycin, and the azalides azithromycin (ZITHROMAX) and CP-63,956, demonstrated antimalarial activity against two strains of Plasmodium berghei. In a four-day in vivo test, the azalides were 25-fold more potent than erythromycin against the chloroquine-sensitive P. berghei N strain, and displayed additive effects with chloroquine. This effect was not observed with the erythromycin-chloroquine combination. Against the chloroquine-resistant P. berghei MSU/RC strain, the azalides were 60-fold more potent than erythromycin. Additive effects were observed with azalide-chloroquine combinations against this strain, but these results were not significantly different from the erythromycin-chloroquine combination.
Department of Microbiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing.
B A
BA
Gingras
J B
JB
Jensen
D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017963:Azithromycin; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000187:drug effects*; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; C060737:CP 63956; D004917:Erythromycin; D017963:Azithromycin; D002738:Chloroquine