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Moraes-de-Souza I, de Moraes BPT, Silva AR, Ferrarini SR, Gonçalves-de-Albuquerque CF. Tiny Green Army: Fighting Malaria with Plants and Nanotechnology. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:699. [PMID: 38931823 PMCID: PMC11206820 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16060699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Malaria poses a global threat to human health, with millions of cases and thousands of deaths each year, mainly affecting developing countries in tropical and subtropical regions. Malaria's causative agent is Plasmodium species, generally transmitted in the hematophagous act of female Anopheles sp. mosquitoes. The main approaches to fighting malaria are eliminating the parasite through drug treatments and preventing transmission with vector control. However, vector and parasite resistance to current strategies set a challenge. In response to the loss of drug efficacy and the environmental impact of pesticides, the focus shifted to the search for biocompatible products that could be antimalarial. Plant derivatives have a millennial application in traditional medicine, including the treatment of malaria, and show toxic effects towards the parasite and the mosquito, aside from being accessible and affordable. Its disadvantage lies in the type of administration because green chemical compounds rapidly degrade. The nanoformulation of these compounds can improve bioavailability, solubility, and efficacy. Thus, the nanotechnology-based development of plant products represents a relevant tool in the fight against malaria. We aim to review the effects of nanoparticles synthesized with plant extracts on Anopheles and Plasmodium while outlining the nanotechnology green synthesis and current malaria prevention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Moraes-de-Souza
- Immunopharmacology Laboratory, Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro—UNIRIO, Rio de Janeiro 20211-010, Brazil; (I.M.-d.-S.); (B.P.T.d.M.)
- Immunopharmacology Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-361, Brazil;
| | - Bianca P. T. de Moraes
- Immunopharmacology Laboratory, Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro—UNIRIO, Rio de Janeiro 20211-010, Brazil; (I.M.-d.-S.); (B.P.T.d.M.)
- Immunopharmacology Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-361, Brazil;
| | - Adriana R. Silva
- Immunopharmacology Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-361, Brazil;
| | - Stela R. Ferrarini
- Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology Laboratory, Federal University of Mato Grosso of Sinop Campus—UFMT, Cuiabá 78550-728, Brazil;
| | - Cassiano F. Gonçalves-de-Albuquerque
- Immunopharmacology Laboratory, Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro—UNIRIO, Rio de Janeiro 20211-010, Brazil; (I.M.-d.-S.); (B.P.T.d.M.)
- Immunopharmacology Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-361, Brazil;
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Bezerra-Santos MA, Benelli G, Germinara GS, Volf P, Otranto D. Smelly interactions: host-borne volatile organic compounds triggering behavioural responses in mosquitoes, sand flies, and ticks. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:227. [PMID: 38755646 PMCID: PMC11100076 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06299-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are chemicals emitted as products of cell metabolism, which reflects the physiological and pathological conditions of any living organisms. These compounds play a key role as olfactory cues for arthropod vectors such as mosquitoes, sand flies, and ticks, which act in the transmission of pathogens to many animal species, including humans. Some VOCs may influence arthropod behaviour, e.g., host preference and oviposition site selection for gravid females. Furthermore, deadly vector-borne pathogens such as Plasmodium falciparum and Leishmania infantum are suggested to manipulate the VOCs profile of the host to make them more attractive to mosquitoes and sand fly vectors, respectively. Under the above circumstances, studies on these compounds have demonstrated their potential usefulness for investigating the behavioural response of mosquitoes, sand flies, and ticks toward their vertebrate hosts, as well as potential tools for diagnosis of vector-borne diseases (VBDs). Herein, we provide an account for scientific data available on VOCs to study the host seeking behaviour of arthropod vectors, and their usefulness as attractants, repellents, or tools for an early diagnosis of VBDs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giovanni Benelli
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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Costa-da-Silva AL, Cabal S, Lopez K, Boloix J, Rodriguez BG, Marrero KM, Bellantuono AJ, DeGennaro M. Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes use communal cues to manage population density at breeding sites. Commun Biol 2024; 7:143. [PMID: 38297108 PMCID: PMC10830494 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05830-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Where a female mosquito lays her eggs creates the conditions for reproductive success. Here we identify a communal behavior among ovipositing female mosquitoes. When choosing equal breeding sites, gravid Aedes aegypti aggregate more often than expected. This aggregation occurs when water contact is restricted and does not require the presence of eggs. Instead, the aggregation is regulated by the number of females present at the breeding site. Using assays with both occupied and empty oviposition sites, we show that the Orco olfactory co-receptor and a carbon dioxide receptor, Gr3, detect the presence of mosquitoes. orco mutants aggregate more often in empty sites, suggesting attractive olfactory cues influence females to associate with one another. Gr3 mutant females do not prefer either site, suggesting that the CO2 receptor is necessary to evaluate mosquito population density at breeding sites. Further, raising CO2 levels is sufficient to cause wild-type mosquitoes to avoid empty oviposition sites. Our results demonstrate that female mosquitoes can regulate their own population density at breeding sites using attractive and repellent communal cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre Luis Costa-da-Silva
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Silvia Cabal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Kristian Lopez
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Jean Boloix
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Brian Garcia Rodriguez
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Kaylee M Marrero
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Anthony J Bellantuono
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Matthew DeGennaro
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA.
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA.
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