title: Antimalarial efficacy of methylene blue and menadione and their effect on glutathione metabolism of Plasmodium yoelii-infected albino mice.
abstract: Plasmodium yoelii infection caused significant decline in the hepatic and splenic glutathione content and the activities of the key enzymes, that is, glutamate cysteine ligase (EC 6.3.2.2) and glutathione reductase (EC 1.8.1.7) of their murine host, that is, Swiss albino mice. Methylene blue as well as menadione were found to restore these constituents when given to P. yoelii-infected mice at the dose levels of 2.5 and 100 mg/kg, respectively, compared to mefloquine which does the same at 5.0 mg/kg dose. Methylene blue, like mefloquine also caused a rapid decline in percent parasitaemia, whereas menadione caused a delay in maturation of the infection, but could not cure the mice.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biochemistry, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226 001, India.
authors.forename: Kavita
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.forename: Arvind K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Srivastava
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000933:Antifibrinolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000469:parasitology; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice / Q000469:parasitology*; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000188:drug therapy; D010967:Plasmodium yoelii / Q000187:drug effects*; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013535:Suspensions / Q000008:administration & dosage; D024483:Vitamin K 3 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000933:Antifibrinolytic Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D013535:Suspensions; D024483:Vitamin K 3; D005978:Glutathione; D008751:Methylene Blue