Antibiotics in malaria therapy: which antibiotics except tetracyclines and macrolides may be used against malaria?

• Published in: Malaria journal Vol. 15; no. 1; p. 556
• Main Authors: Gaillard, Tiphaine, Madamet, Marylin, Tsombeng, Francis Foguim, Dormoi, Jérôme, Pradines, Bruno
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 15.11.2016; BioMed Central
• Subjects: Analysis; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Antibiotics; Antimalarials; Antimalarials - pharmacology; Antimalarials - therapeutic use; Care and treatment; Dosage and administration; Drug Repositioning; Drug resistance in microorganisms; Human health and pathology; Humans; Infectious diseases; Life Sciences; Macrolides - pharmacology; Macrolides - therapeutic use; Malaria; Malaria, Falciparum - drug therapy; Pharmaceutical sciences; Pharmacology; Plasmodium falciparum; Plasmodium falciparum - drug effects; Prevention; Review; Tetracyclines - pharmacology; Tetracyclines - therapeutic use; Uganda; Resistance; Plasmodium falciparum; Treatment; Antibiotics; Malaria; Prophylaxis; Anti-malarial drug
• ISSN: 1475-2875; 1475-2875
• DOI: 10.1186/s12936-016-1613-y

Malaria, a parasite vector-borne disease, is one of the most significant health threats in tropical regions, despite the availability of individual chemoprophylaxis. Malaria chemoprophylaxis and chemotherapy remain a major area of research, and new drug molecules are constantly being developed before drug-resistant parasites strains emerge. The use of anti-malarial drugs is challenged by contra-indications, the level of resistance of Plasmodium falciparum in endemic areas, clinical tolerance and financial cost. New therapeutic approaches are currently needed to fight against this disease. Some antibiotics that have shown potential effects on malaria parasite have been recently studied in vitro or in vivo intensively. Two families, tetracyclines and macrolides and their derivatives have been particularly studied in recent years. However, other less well-known have been tested or are being used for malaria treatment. Some of these belong to older families, such as quinolones, co-trimoxazole or fusidic acid, while others are new drug molecules such as tigecycline. These emerging antibiotics could be used to prevent malaria in the future. In this review, the authors overview the use of antibiotics for malaria treatment.