How might qinghaosu (artemisinin) and related compounds kill the intraerythrocytic malaria parasite? A chemist's view.
The antimalarial mechanism of qinghaosu (artemisinin) has been a problem since the late 1970s. During the past decade, several molecular level theories were postulated. However, their further development has been very difficult. By looking into the QHS cleavage process and all possible reaction paths available to the resulting transient radicals, the present commentary reveals those major hidden problems with the existing theories and tries to identify some essential features of the parasiticidal events that may take place within the intraerythrocytic malaria parasite. A seemingly more reasonable theory is also introduced.
Wu
Yikang
Y
State Key Laboratory of Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences 354 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
D000962:Antimalarials / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000494:pharmacology; D008954:Models, Biological; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D005609:Free Radicals; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C031327:artemisinin