Potent antimalarial activity of the alkaloid nitidine, isolated from a Kenyan herbal remedy.
Bioassay-guided fractionation of extracts of Toddalia asiatica, a plant used by the Pokot tribe of Kenya to treat fevers, has yielded the alkaloid nitidine as the major antimalarial component. Fractions containing nitidine have in vitro 50% inhibitory concentrations against Plasmodium falciparum in the range of 9 to 108 ng/ml for a range of chloroquine-susceptible and -resistant strains. The results show a lack of cross-resistance between chloroquine and nitidine.
Gakunju
D M
DM
Ministry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya.
Mberu
E K
EK
Dossaji
S F
SF
Gray
A I
AI
Waigh
R D
RD
Waterman
P G
PG
Watkins
W M
WM
D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053119:Benzophenanthridines; D001681:Biological Assay; D004351:Drug Resistance; D007630:Kenya; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D010617:Phenanthridines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects
D000962:Antimalarials; D053119:Benzophenanthridines; D010617:Phenanthridines; D010936:Plant Extracts; C013615:nitidine