Biological activities of the plant-derived bisindole voacamine with reference to malaria

• Published in: Phytotherapy research Vol. 15; no. 1; pp. 30 - 33
• Main Authors: Ramanitrahasimbola, D., Rasoanaivo, P., Ratsimamanga-Urverg, S., Federici, E., Palazzino, G., Galeffi, C., Nicoletti, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.02.2001; Wiley
• Subjects: Alkaloids - pharmacology; Animals; Antimalarials - pharmacology; antiplasmodial activity; Biological and medical sciences; bisindole alkaloids; Chloroquine - pharmacology; drug combination; Drug Synergism; General pharmacology; Ibogaine - analogs & derivatives; Ibogaine - pharmacology; Medical sciences; Mice; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Plasmodium falciparum - drug effects; Plasmodium yoelii - drug effects; voacamine; Protozoa; Antimalarial; Apicomplexa; Drug combination; Pharmacognosy; Chloroquine; Rodentia; In vitro; Biological activity; Medicinal plant; In vivo; Plasmodium falciparum; Vertebrata; Alkaloid; Mammalia; Mouse; Animal; Parasiticid; Plant origin
• ISSN: 0951-418X; 1099-1573
• DOI: 10.1002/1099-1573(200102)15:1<30::AID-PTR680>3.0.CO;2-T

The in vivo antiplasmodial activity of voacamine was assessed in a 4‐day test. It was shown to exhibit in vivo activity with 25.4% and 43.4% inhibition of parasitaemia with 2.5 and 10 mg/kg, respectively. In synchronized cultures, it was found to act on trophozoite and schizont stages of Plasmodium falciparum. Using the FMC29 strain of Plasmodium falciparum as parasite and the isobologram curve as a method to assess interaction in drug combination, it was shown to lack any chloroquine‐enhancing activity and its in vitro antiplasmodial effect was not potentiated by the chemosensitizer malagashanine. Copyright ­© 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.