title: A comparison of the stage-specific efficacy of chloroquine, artemether and dioncophylline B against the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi in vivo.
abstract: Chloroquine, artemether and dioncophylline B efficacy against Plasmodium chabaudi was compared. One intraperitoneal injection (10 mg/kg body weight) was given daily over 3 consecutive days to OF1 mice when they were predominantly bearing ring, trophozoite and schizont forms. The parasitaemia was monitored every 2 h during two schizogonic cycles and daily thereafter until parasites were cleared. Chloroquine was more efficient at the trophozoite stage, while artemether was effective against all erythrocytic stages, with a marked efficacy against the trophozoite stage. Chloroquine-treated and artemether-treated parasites displayed a pigment-clumping morphology and lowered the parasitaemia faster than dioncophylline B. Dioncophylline B was effective at trophozoite and schizont stages, but completely ineffective at the ring stage. These results demonstrate that a better timing of drug administration increases the efficacy of common and new antimalarial drugs and provides a model for antimalarial-action monitoring. Drug-induced changes in infected erythrocyte morphology are presented.
authors.affiliation: Vakgroep Farmaceutische Technologie en Fysische Farmacie, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium. chimbant@minf.vub.ac.be
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chimanuka
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: François
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Timperman
authors.forename: Y V
authors.initials: YV
authors.lastname: Heyden
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Holenz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Plaizier-Vercammen
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bringmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077549:Artemether; D037621:Artemisinins; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008018:Life Cycle Stages / Q000187:drug effects; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000469:parasitology; D016788:Plasmodium chabaudi / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development*; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D007546:Isoquinolines; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C402882:dioncophylline B; D002738:Chloroquine; D000077549:Artemether