Bruno M, Trucchi B, Monti D, Romeo S, Kaiser M, Verotta L. Synthesis of a potent antimalarial agent through natural products conjugation.
ChemMedChem 2013;
8:221-5. [PMID:
23307699 PMCID:
PMC3836189 DOI:
10.1002/cmdc.201200503]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2012] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Au naturel! (+)-Usnic acid (green) is a weak antimalarial agent, however, in conjugation with known antimalarial scaffolds and drugs, such as dihydroartemisinin (blue), potent activity against the blood-stage parasite can be seen both in vitro and in vivo. The compound shown exhibits an IC(50) value of 1.4 nM against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro and proved nearly as efficacious as artesunate in a mouse model of infection.
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