title: Potent and selective antiplasmodial activity of the cyanobacterial alkaloid nostocarboline and its dimers.
abstract: The quaternary beta-carbolinium alkaloid nostocarboline from the cyanobacterium Nostoc 78-12A and 10 bis-cationic dimeric derivatives were evaluated against four protozoan parasites and low micromolar values against Trypanosoma brucei, submicromolar values against Leishmania donovani and low nanomolar values against Plasmodium falciparum K1 were determined. Selectivity against rat myoblasts (L6 cells) was found to be up to >2500-fold.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorium für Organische Chemie, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), 8093 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Damien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Barbaras
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaiser
authors.forename: Reto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brun
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gademann
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D002243:Carbolines / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D020650:Combinatorial Chemistry Techniques; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007893:Leishmania donovani / Q000187:drug effects; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy; D015394:Molecular Structure; D032446:Myoblasts / Q000187:drug effects; D046937:Nostoc / Q000737:chemistry*; D021261:Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D014345:Trypanosoma / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D002243:Carbolines; C507037:nostocarboline