Susceptibility studies of Malaysian Plasmodium falciparum clones to type II antifolate drugs after 3 years of continuous in vitro culture.
BACKGROUND
Exposure of Plasmodium falciparum to increasing sublethal drug concentrations followed by drug treatment led to the development of many resistant parasites. Therefore, the susceptibility of these clones to the type II antifolate drugs, cycloguanil and pyrimethamine, before and after subculturing them in vitro for a period of 3 years, was studied.


METHODS
Thirty fresh clones were obtained from five different blood samples infected with P. falciparum isolates. They were tested for their susceptibility to the above drugs during the investigation period.


RESULTS
None of these clones changed their susceptibilities, before and after the investigation period.


CONCLUSIONS
This study gives further evidence that there is no alteration of the susceptibilities of the clones to the above drugs during the investigation period.
Ang
Hooi Hoon
HH
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University Science Malaysia, Minden, Penang. hhang@usm.my
Cheang
Hung Seong
HS
Mak
Joon Wah
JW
D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002999:Clone Cells; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005493:Folic Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008296:Malaysia; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects*; D002727:Proguanil; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014227:Triazines / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000962:Antimalarials; D005493:Folic Acid Antagonists; D014227:Triazines; C026009:cycloguanil; D002727:Proguanil; D011739:Pyrimethamine