[The microfluorimetric assay (MFA) in in vitro testing the sensitivity of Plasmodium falciparum to antimalarial drugs].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the feasibility of the microfluorimetric assay (MFA) in screening antimalarial drugs.


METHODS
The dose-response curves and effective concentration that resulted in a 50% inhibitory of parasitemia (IC50) of chloroquine, artemisinin, artemether and pyronaridine phosphate against Plasmodium falciparum strain FCC1/HN cultured in vitro were tested by microfluorimetric assay (MFA) and compared with those determined by microscopy-based assay.


RESULTS
The IC50 of chloroquine, artemisinin, artemether and pyronaridine phosphate were 18.79, 6.32, 3.67 and 2.00 nmol/L by MFA and the IC50 of which were 19.65, 5.82, 4.38 and 2.83 nmol/L by microscopy-based technique respectively. The results from both techniques were similar or identical (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The microfluorimetric assay (MFA) is sensitive, rapid, easily interpreted and would be useful for testing the sensitivity of Plasmodium falciparum to antimalarials and for screening
Huang
Fang
F
National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai, 200025, China.
Tang
Lin-hua
LH
Wang
Qin-mei
QM
Hi
Yi-chang
YC
D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077549:Artemether; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003592:Cytophotometry / Q000379:methods*; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D021261:Parasitic Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects*; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D002738:Chloroquine; C031327:artemisinin; D000077549:Artemether; D011739:Pyrimethamine