Last Updated: 04/12/2025
Identification of antimalarials with anti-gametocytocidal potential
Objectives
*Original title in Portuguese: Identificação de antimaláricos com potencial anti-gametocitocidas
This project aims to:
identify inductors of Plasmodium falciparum gametocytogenesis, based on the availability of a library of compounds synthesized by chemical collaborators;
- identify inductors of Plasmodium falciparum gametocytogenesis, based on the availability of a library of compounds synthesized by chemical collaborators;
- the development of a robust in vitro culture system for gametocytes, already with promising preliminary results and
- the evaluation of the gametocytocidal activity of compounds from the consortium composed of large pharmaceutical laboratories called “Malaria Box”, which have already reported their activity against asexual stages.
An additional objective is to evaluate the activity of compounds produced by chemical collaborators from various institutions in the country against asexual blood forms of multidrug-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum, in the search for new blood schizonticide antimalarials.
Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) Brazil, Brazil
Malaria is the parasitic disease that most afflicts populations in the world, causing high morbidity and mortality, in addition to huge financial expenditures for the endemic country. A fundamental strategy in the control of the disease, chemotherapy is compromised by the widespread resistance of parasites to antimalarials that target their asexual forms. With the exception of primaquine, which causes serious adverse effects, these antimalarials are not active on the sexual forms of the parasite. Given the high frequency of genetic recombination during the sexual phase of the parasite, coupled with the need for a primaquine substitute, it is imperative to identify and develop new transmission blockers. An obstacle is the absence of experimental in vitro models that accelerate the identification of new candidates for gametocytocidal antimalarials. The approval of this project will help to control malaria in the world, enabling its elimination and eradication.
Feb 2016 — Jan 2017
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