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Viana Dos Santos MB, Braga de Oliveira A, Veras Mourão RH. Brazilian plants with antimalarial activity: A review of the period from 2011 to 2022. J Ethnopharmacol 2024; 322:117595. [PMID: 38122914 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Malaria continues to be a serious global public health problem in subtropical and tropical countries of the world. The main drugs used in the treatment of human malaria, quinine and artemisinin, are isolates of medicinal plants, making the use of plants a widespread practice in countries where malaria is endemic. Over the years, due to the increased resistance of the parasite to chloroquine and artemisinin in certain regions, new strategies for combating malaria have been employed, including research with medicinal plants. AIM This review focuses on the scientific production regarding medicinal plants from Brazil whose antimalarial activity was evaluated during the period from 2011 to 2022. 2. METHODOLOGY For this review, four electronic databases were selected for research: Pubmed, ScienceDirect, Scielo and Periódicos CAPES. Searches were made for full texts published in the form of scientific articles written in Portuguese or English and in a digital format. In addition, prospects for new treatments as well as future research that encourages the search for natural products and antimalarial derivatives are also presented. RESULTS A total of 61 publications were encountered, which cited 36 botanical families and 92 species using different Plasmodium strains in in vitro and in vivo assays. The botanical families with the most expressive number of species found were Rubiaceae, Apocynaceae, Fabaceae and Asteraceae (14, 14, 9 and 6 species, respectively), and the most frequently cited species were of the genera Psychotria L. (8) and Aspidosperma Mart. (12), which belong to the families Rubiaceae and Apocynaceae. Altogether, 75 compounds were identified or isolated from 28 different species, 31 of which are alkaloids. In addition, the extracts of the analyzed species, including the isolated compounds, showed a significant reduction of parasitemia in P. falciparum and P. berghei, especially in the clones W2 CQ-R (in vitro) and ANKA (in vivo), respectively. The Brazilian regions with the highest number of species analyzed were those of the north, especially the states of Pará and Amazonas, and the southeast, especially the state of Minas Gerais. CONCLUSION Although many plant species with antimalarial potential have been identified in Brazil, studies of new antimalarial molecules are slow and have not evolved to the production of a phytotherapeutic medicine. Given this, investigations of plants of traditional use and biotechnological approaches are necessary for the discovery of natural antimalarial products that contribute to the treatment of the disease in the country and in other endemic regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Beatriz Viana Dos Santos
- Laboratório de Bioprospecção e Biologia Experimental - LabBBEx, Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará, Rua Vera Paz, s/n, Salé, 68035-110, Santarém, PA, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Doutorado em Rede de Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia - BIONORTE/Polo Pará. Universidade Federal do Pará, Rua Augusto Corrêa, 01, Guamá, 66075-110, Belém, PA, Brazil.
| | - Alaíde Braga de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Bioprospecção e Biologia Experimental - LabBBEx, Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará, Rua Vera Paz, s/n, Salé, 68035-110, Santarém, PA, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Doutorado em Rede de Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia - BIONORTE/Polo Pará. Universidade Federal do Pará, Rua Augusto Corrêa, 01, Guamá, 66075-110, Belém, PA, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas - PPGCF, Faculdade de Farmácia, Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
| | - Rosa Helena Veras Mourão
- Laboratório de Bioprospecção e Biologia Experimental - LabBBEx, Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará, Rua Vera Paz, s/n, Salé, 68035-110, Santarém, PA, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Doutorado em Rede de Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia - BIONORTE/Polo Pará. Universidade Federal do Pará, Rua Augusto Corrêa, 01, Guamá, 66075-110, Belém, PA, Brazil
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Maciuk A, Mazier D, Duval R. Future antimalarials from Artemisia? A rationale for natural product mining against drug-refractory Plasmodium stages. Nat Prod Rep 2023; 40:1130-1144. [PMID: 37021639 DOI: 10.1039/d3np00001j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
Covering: up to 2023Infusions of the plants Artemisia annua and A. afra are gaining broad popularity to prevent or treat malaria. There is an urgent need to address this controversial public health question by providing solid scientific evidence in relation to these uses. Infusions of either species were shown to inhibit the asexual blood stages, the liver stages including the hypnozoites, but also the sexual stages, the gametocytes, of Plasmodium parasites. Elimination of hypnozoites and sterilization of mature gametocytes remain pivotal elements of the radical cure of P. vivax, and the blockage of P. vivax and P. falciparum transmission, respectively. Drugs active against these stages are restricted to the 8-aminoquinolines primaquine and tafenoquine, a paucity worsened by their double dependence on the host genetic to elicit clinical activity without severe toxicity. Besides artemisinin, these Artemisia spp. contain many natural products effective against Plasmodium asexual blood stages, but their activity against hypnozoites and gametocytes was never investigated. In the context of important therapeutic issues, we provide a review addressing (i) the role of artemisinin in the bioactivity of these Artemisia infusions against specific parasite stages, i.e., alone or in association with other phytochemicals; (ii) the mechanisms of action and biological targets in Plasmodium of ca. 60 infusion-specific Artemisia phytochemicals, with an emphasis on drug-refractory parasite stages (i.e., hypnozoites and gametocytes). Our objective is to guide the strategic prospecting of antiplasmodial natural products from these Artemisia spp., paving the way toward novel antimalarial "hit" compounds either naturally occurring or Artemisia-inspired.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dominique Mazier
- CIMI, CNRS, Inserm, Faculté de Médecine Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Romain Duval
- MERIT, IRD, Université Paris Cité, 75006 Paris, France.
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Ashraf K, Tajeri S, Arnold CS, Amanzougaghene N, Franetich JF, Vantaux A, Soulard V, Bordessoulles M, Cazals G, Bousema T, van Gemert GJ, Le Grand R, Dereuddre-Bosquet N, Barale JC, Witkowski B, Snounou G, Duval R, Botté CY, Mazier D. Artemisinin-independent inhibitory activity of Artemisia sp. infusions against different Plasmodium stages including relapse-causing hypnozoites. Life Sci Alliance 2021; 5:5/3/e202101237. [PMID: 34857648 PMCID: PMC8675911 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202101237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Infusions from two Artemisia species, one containing artemisinin, the other not, equally inhibit pre-erythrocytic and erythrocytic stages of different Plasmodium species, including two relapsing species. Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACT) are the frontline treatments against malaria worldwide. Recently the use of traditional infusions from Artemisia annua (from which artemisinin is obtained) or Artemisia afra (lacking artemisinin) has been controversially advocated. Such unregulated plant-based remedies are strongly discouraged as they might constitute sub-optimal therapies and promote drug resistance. Here, we conducted the first comparative study of the anti-malarial effects of both plant infusions in vitro against the asexual erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum and the pre-erythrocytic (i.e., liver) stages of various Plasmodium species. Low concentrations of either infusion accounted for significant inhibitory activities across every parasite species and stage studied. We show that these antiplasmodial effects were essentially artemisinin-independent and were additionally monitored by observations of the parasite apicoplast and mitochondrion. In particular, the infusions significantly incapacitated sporozoites, and for Plasmodium vivax and P. cynomolgi, disrupted the hypnozoites. This provides the first indication that compounds other than 8-aminoquinolines could be effective antimalarials against relapsing parasites. These observations advocate for further screening to uncover urgently needed novel antimalarial lead compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kutub Ashraf
- Sorbonne Université, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, CIMI, Paris, France.,Unité d'Epidémiologie Moléculaire du Paludisme, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.,Institut Pasteur, Pasteur International Network, Malaria Translational Research Pasteur International Unit, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Paris, Paris, France
| | - Shahin Tajeri
- Sorbonne Université, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, CIMI, Paris, France
| | - Christophe-Sébastien Arnold
- ApicoLipid Team, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1209, La Tronche, France
| | - Nadia Amanzougaghene
- Sorbonne Université, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, CIMI, Paris, France
| | - Jean-François Franetich
- Sorbonne Université, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, CIMI, Paris, France
| | - Amélie Vantaux
- Unité d'Epidémiologie Moléculaire du Paludisme, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.,Institut Pasteur, Pasteur International Network, Malaria Translational Research Pasteur International Unit, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Paris, Paris, France
| | - Valérie Soulard
- Sorbonne Université, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, CIMI, Paris, France
| | - Mallaury Bordessoulles
- Sorbonne Université, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, CIMI, Paris, France
| | - Guillaume Cazals
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, UMR 5247, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Teun Bousema
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Geert-Jan van Gemert
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Roger Le Grand
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris Sud 11-INSERM U1184, Immunology of Viral Infections and Autoimmune Diseases (IMVA-HB), Infectious Disease Models and Innovative Therapies (IDMIT) Department, Institut de Biologie François Jacob (IBFJ), Direction de la Recherche Fondamentale (DRF), Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Nathalie Dereuddre-Bosquet
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris Sud 11-INSERM U1184, Immunology of Viral Infections and Autoimmune Diseases (IMVA-HB), Infectious Disease Models and Innovative Therapies (IDMIT) Department, Institut de Biologie François Jacob (IBFJ), Direction de la Recherche Fondamentale (DRF), Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Barale
- Institut Pasteur, Pasteur International Network, Malaria Translational Research Pasteur International Unit, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Paris, Paris, France.,Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, CNRS UMR 3528, Structural Microbiology Unit, Paris, France
| | - Benoit Witkowski
- Unité d'Epidémiologie Moléculaire du Paludisme, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.,Institut Pasteur, Pasteur International Network, Malaria Translational Research Pasteur International Unit, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Paris, Paris, France
| | - Georges Snounou
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris Sud 11-INSERM U1184, Immunology of Viral Infections and Autoimmune Diseases (IMVA-HB), Infectious Disease Models and Innovative Therapies (IDMIT) Department, Institut de Biologie François Jacob (IBFJ), Direction de la Recherche Fondamentale (DRF), Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Romain Duval
- Université de Paris, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UMR 261 MERIT, Paris, France
| | - Cyrille Y Botté
- ApicoLipid Team, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1209, La Tronche, France
| | - Dominique Mazier
- Sorbonne Université, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, CIMI, Paris, France
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Ekiert H, Świątkowska J, Klin P, Rzepiela A, Szopa A. Artemisia annua - Importance in Traditional Medicine and Current State of Knowledge on the Chemistry, Biological Activity and Possible Applications. Planta Med 2021; 87:584-599. [PMID: 33482666 DOI: 10.1055/a-1345-9528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Artemisia annua (annual mugwort) is a species that has long been used in traditional Asian medicine, mainly Chinese and Hindu. The species is widespread and known as a medicinal plant not only in Asia but also in Europe, in both Americas, and Australia. The species has become a subject of particular interest due to the 2015 Nobel Prize awarded for detecting the sesquiterpene lactone artemisinin in it and proving its antimalarial activities. The raw materials obtained from this species are Artemisiae annuae folium and Artemisiae annuae herba. The leaves are a raw material in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and Vietnamese Pharmacopoeia. Both raw materials are in the International Pharmacopoeia published by the WHO. The main components of these raw materials are mainly specific sesquiterpene lactones, essential oil, flavonoids, coumarins, and phenolic acids. In traditional Asian medicine, the species is used, for example, in the treatment of jaundice and bacterial dysentery, as an antipyretic agent in malaria and tuberculosis, in the treatment of wounds and haemorrhoids, and in viral, bacterial, and autoimmune diseases. Professional pharmacological studies conducted today have confirmed its known traditional applications and explain previously unknown mechanisms of its biological action and have also found evidence of new directions of biological activity, including, among others, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, antitumour, and nephroprotective activities. The species is of growing importance in the cosmetics industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halina Ekiert
- Chair and Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Joanna Świątkowska
- Chair and Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Paweł Klin
- Family Medicine Clinic, Medizinisches Versorgungszentrum (MVZ) Burgbernheim GmbH, Burgbernheim, Germany
| | - Agnieszka Rzepiela
- Museum of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Szopa
- Chair and Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Kraków, Poland
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Snider D, Weathers PJ. In vitro reduction of Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes: Artemisia spp. tea infusions vs. artemisinin. J Ethnopharmacol 2021; 268:113638. [PMID: 33271239 PMCID: PMC7855472 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.113638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Artemisia annua has a long history of use in Southeast Asia where it was used to treat "fever", and A. afra has a similar history in southern Africa. Since their discovery, A. annua use, in particular, has expanded globally with millions of people using the plant in therapeutic tea infusions, mainly to treat malaria. AIM OF THE STUDY In this study, we used in vitro studies to query if and how A. annua and A. afra tea infusions being used across the globe affect asexual Plasmodium falciparum parasites, and their sexual gametocytes. MATERIALS AND METHODS P. falciparumstrain NF54 was grown in vitro, synchronized, and induced to form gametocytes using N-acetylglucosamine. Cultures during asexual, early, and late stage gametocytogenesis were treated with artemisinin, methylene blue, and A. annua and A. afra tea infusions (5 g DW/L) using cultivars that contained 0-283 μM artemisinin. Asexual parasitemia and gametocytemia were analyzed microscopically. Gametocyte morphology also was scored. Markers of early (PfGEXP5) and late stage (Pfs25) gametocyte gene expression also were measured using RT-qPCR. RESULTS Both A. annua and A. afra tea infusions reduced gametocytemia in vitro, and the effect was mainly artemisinin dependent. Expression levels of both marker genes were reduced and also occurred with the effect mainly attributed to artemisinin content of four tested Artemisia cultivars. Tea infusions of both species also inhibited asexual parasitemia and although mainly artemisinin dependent, there was a weak antiparasitic effect from artemisinin-deficient A. afra. CONCLUSIONS These results showed that A. annua and to a lesser extent, A. afra, inhibited parasitemia and gametocytemia in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Snider
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA.
| | - Pamela J Weathers
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA.
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Gruessner BM, Weathers PJ. In vitro analyses of Artemisia extracts on Plasmodium falciparum suggest a complex antimalarial effect. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0240874. [PMID: 33651845 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0240874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Dried-leaf Artemisia annua L. (DLA) antimalarial therapy was shown effective in prior animal and human studies, but little is known about its mechanism of action. Here IC50s and ring-stage assays (RSAs) were used to compare extracts of A. annua (DLAe) to artemisinin (ART) and its derivatives in their ability to inhibit and kill Plasmodium falciparum strains 3D7, MRA1252, MRA1240, Cam3.11 and Cam3.11rev in vitro. Strains were sorbitol and Percoll synchronized to enrich for ring-stage parasites that were treated with hot water, methanol and dichloromethane extracts of DLA, artemisinin, CoArtem™, and dihydroartemisinin. Extracts of A. afra SEN were also tested. There was a correlation between ART concentration and inhibition of parasite growth. Although at 6 hr drug incubation, the RSAs for Cam3.11rev showed DLA and ART were less effective than high dose CoArtem™, 8 and 24 hr incubations yielded equivalent antiparasitic results. For Cam3.11, drug incubation time had no effect. DLAe was more effective on resistant MRA-1240 than on the sensitive MRA-1252 strain. Because results were not as robust as observed in animal and human studies, a host interaction was suspected, so sera collected from adult and pediatric Kenyan malaria patients was used in RSA inhibition experiments and compared to sera from adults naïve to the disease. The sera from both age groups of malaria patients inhibited parasite growth ≥ 70% after treatment with DLAe and compared to malaria naïve subjects suggesting some host interaction with DLA. The discrepancy between these data and in-vivo reports suggested that DLA’s effects require an interaction with the host to unlock their potential as an antimalarial therapy. Although we showed there are serum-based host effects that can kill up to 95% of parasites in vitro, it remains unclear how or if they play a role in vivo. These results further our understanding of how DLAe works against the malaria parasite in vitro.
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Ferreira LT, Rodrigues J, Cassiano GC, Tavella TA, Tomaz KCP, Baia-da-Silva DC, Souza MF, Lima MNDN, Mottin M, Almeida LD, Calit J, Puça MCSB, Melo GC, Bargieri DY, Lopes SCP, Lacerda MVG, Bilsland E, Sunnerhagen P, Neves BJ, Andrade CH, Cravo PVL, Costa FTM. Computational Chemogenomics Drug Repositioning Strategy Enables the Discovery of Epirubicin as a New Repurposed Hit for Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2020; 64:e02041-19. [PMID: 32601162 DOI: 10.1128/AAC.02041-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Widespread resistance against antimalarial drugs thwarts current efforts for controlling the disease and urges the discovery of new effective treatments. Drug repositioning is increasingly becoming an attractive strategy since it can reduce costs, risks, and time-to-market. Herein, we have used this strategy to identify novel antimalarial hits. We used a comparative in silico chemogenomics approach to select Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax proteins as potential drug targets and analyzed them using a computer-assisted drug repositioning pipeline to identify approved drugs with potential antimalarial activity. Widespread resistance against antimalarial drugs thwarts current efforts for controlling the disease and urges the discovery of new effective treatments. Drug repositioning is increasingly becoming an attractive strategy since it can reduce costs, risks, and time-to-market. Herein, we have used this strategy to identify novel antimalarial hits. We used a comparative in silico chemogenomics approach to select Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax proteins as potential drug targets and analyzed them using a computer-assisted drug repositioning pipeline to identify approved drugs with potential antimalarial activity. Among the seven drugs identified as promising antimalarial candidates, the anthracycline epirubicin was selected for further experimental validation. Epirubicin was shown to be potent in vitro against sensitive and multidrug-resistant P. falciparum strains and P. vivax field isolates in the nanomolar range, as well as being effective against an in vivo murine model of Plasmodium yoelii. Transmission-blocking activity was observed for epirubicin in vitro and in vivo. Finally, using yeast-based haploinsufficiency chemical genomic profiling, we aimed to get insights into the mechanism of action of epirubicin. Beyond the target predicted in silico (a DNA gyrase in the apicoplast), functional assays suggested a GlcNac-1-P-transferase (GPT) enzyme as a potential target. Docking calculations predicted the binding mode of epirubicin with DNA gyrase and GPT proteins. Epirubicin is originally an antitumoral agent and presents associated toxicity. However, its antiplasmodial activity against not only P. falciparum but also P. vivax in different stages of the parasite life cycle supports the use of this drug as a scaffold for hit-to-lead optimization in malaria drug discovery.
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Gruessner BM, Cornet-Vernet L, Desrosiers MR, Lutgen P, Towler MJ, Weathers PJ. It is not just artemisinin: Artemisia sp. for treating diseases including malaria and schistosomiasis. Phytochem Rev 2019; 18:1509-1527. [PMID: 33911989 PMCID: PMC8078015 DOI: 10.1007/s11101-019-09645-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Artemisia sp., especially A. annua and A. afra, have been used for centuries to treat many ailments. While artemisinin is the main therapeutically active component, emerging evidence demonstrates that the other phytochemicals in this genus are also therapeutically active. Those compounds include flavonoids, other terpenes, coumarins, and phenolic acids. Artemisia sp. phytochemicals also improve bioavailability of artemisinin and synergistically improve artemisinin therapeutic efficacy, especially when delivered as dried leaf Artemisia as a tea infusion or as powdered dry leaves in a capsule or compressed into a tablet. Here results from in vitro, and in vivo animal and human studies are summarized and critically discussed for mainly malaria, but also other diseases susceptible to artemisinin and Artemisia sp. including schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis, and trypanosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- B M Gruessner
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609, USA
| | | | - M R Desrosiers
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609, USA
| | - P Lutgen
- IFVB-BELHERB, Niederanven, Luxembourg
| | - M J Towler
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609, USA
| | - P J Weathers
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609, USA
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Rostkowska C, Mota CM, Oliveira TC, Santiago FM, Oliveira LA, Korndörfer GH, Lana RMQ, Rossi ML, Nogueira NL, Simonnet X, Mineo TWP, Silva DA, Mineo JR. Si-Accumulation In Artemisia annua Glandular Trichomes Increases Artemisinin Concentration, but Does Not Interfere In the Impairment of Toxoplasma gondii Growth. Front Plant Sci 2016; 7:1430. [PMID: 27721819 PMCID: PMC5033981 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.01430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Artemisia annua is used as a source of artemisinin, a potent therapeutic agent used for the treatment of infectious diseases, chiefly malaria. However, the low concentration (from 0.01 to 1.4% of dried leaf matter) of artemisinin in the plant obtained with the traditional cropping system makes it a relatively expensive drug, especially in developing countries. Considering that artemisinin and silicon (Si) are both stored in A. annua glandular trichomes, and that Si accumulation has never been investigated, this study aimed to look into Si effects on A. annua trichome artemisinin concentration, and whether leaf infusion from Si-treated A. annua plants is able to control Toxoplasma gondii growth. T. gondii is the etiologic agent of toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic parasitic disease whose traditional treatment shows significant side effects. The experimental design consisted of A. annua seedlings randomly planted in soil treated with different doses of calcium/magnesium silicate (0, 200, 400, 800, and 1600 kg ha-1). Analysis of foliar macronutrients showed significant increases of nitrogen content only at the highest dose of silicate. Foliar micronutrients, Si concentrations, and plant height were not affected by any of the silicate doses. However, the dose of 400 kg ha-1 of silicate increased the trichome size, which in turn raised artemisinin concentration in leaves and the infusion. In contrast, the 800 and 1600 kg ha-1 doses dramatically decreased artemisinin concentration. HeLa cell treatment with the infusion of A. annua grown in soil treated with 400 kg ha-1 of silicate decreased parasite proliferation in a dose-dependent manner when the treatment was carried out after or along with T. gondii infection. However, this effect was similar to A. annua grown in soil without silicate treatment. Thus, it can be concluded that, even though Si applied to the soil at 400 kg ha-1 has a positive effect on the A. annua glandular trichome size and the artemisinin concentration, this outcome cannot be directly associated with the efficiency of A. annua infusion on T. gondii growth, suggesting that other components from A. annua leaves could be acting in synergy with artemisinin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Rostkowska
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidade Federal de UberlândiaUberlândia, Brazil
| | - Caroline M. Mota
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidade Federal de UberlândiaUberlândia, Brazil
| | - Taísa C. Oliveira
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidade Federal de UberlândiaUberlândia, Brazil
| | - Fernanda M. Santiago
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidade Federal de UberlândiaUberlândia, Brazil
| | - Lilian A. Oliveira
- Fertilizer Technology Laboratory, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universidade Federal de UberlândiaUberlândia, Brazil
| | - Gaspar H. Korndörfer
- Fertilizer Technology Laboratory, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universidade Federal de UberlândiaUberlândia, Brazil
| | - Regina M. Q. Lana
- Fertilizer Technology Laboratory, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universidade Federal de UberlândiaUberlândia, Brazil
| | - Monica L. Rossi
- Laboratory of Plant Histopathology and Structural Biology of Plants, Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, Universidade de São PauloPiracicaba, Brazil
| | - Neusa L. Nogueira
- Laboratory of Plant Histopathology and Structural Biology of Plants, Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, Universidade de São PauloPiracicaba, Brazil
| | - Xavier Simonnet
- Mediplant, Swiss Research Centre on Medicinal and Aromatic PlantsConthey, Switzerland
| | - Tiago W. P. Mineo
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidade Federal de UberlândiaUberlândia, Brazil
| | - Deise A.O. Silva
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidade Federal de UberlândiaUberlândia, Brazil
| | - José R. Mineo
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidade Federal de UberlândiaUberlândia, Brazil
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Lima RBS, Rocha e Silva LF, Melo MRS, Costa JS, Picanço NS, Lima ES, Vasconcellos MC, Boleti APA, Santos JMP, Amorim RCN, Chaves FCM, Coutinho JP, Tadei WP, Krettli AU, Pohlit AM. In vitro and in vivo anti-malarial activity of plants from the Brazilian Amazon. Malar J 2015; 14:508. [PMID: 26682750 PMCID: PMC4683771 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-015-0999-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Accepted: 11/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The anti-malarials quinine and artemisinin were isolated from traditionally used plants (Cinchona spp. and Artemisia annua, respectively). The synthetic quinoline anti-malarials (e.g. chloroquine) and semi-synthetic artemisinin derivatives (e.g. artesunate) were developed based on these natural products. Malaria is endemic to the Amazon region where Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax drug-resistance is of concern. There is an urgent need for new anti-malarials. Traditionally used Amazonian plants may provide new treatments for drug-resistant P. vivax and P. falciparum. Herein, the in vitro and in vivo antiplasmodial activity and cytotoxicity of medicinal plant extracts were investigated. METHODS Sixty-nine extracts from 11 plant species were prepared and screened for in vitro activity against P. falciparum K1 strain and for cytotoxicity against human fibroblasts and two melanoma cell lines. Median inhibitory concentrations (IC50) were established against chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum W2 clone using monoclonal anti-HRPII (histidine-rich protein II) antibodies in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Extracts were evaluated for toxicity against murine macrophages (IC50) and selectivity indices (SI) were determined. Three extracts were also evaluated orally in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice. RESULTS High in vitro antiplasmodial activity (IC50 = 6.4-9.9 µg/mL) was observed for Andropogon leucostachyus aerial part methanol extracts, Croton cajucara red variety leaf chloroform extracts, Miconia nervosa leaf methanol extracts, and Xylopia amazonica leaf chloroform and branch ethanol extracts. Paullinia cupana branch chloroform extracts and Croton cajucara red variety leaf ethanol extracts were toxic to fibroblasts and or melanoma cells. Xylopia amazonica branch ethanol extracts and Zanthoxylum djalma-batistae branch chloroform extracts were toxic to macrophages (IC50 = 6.9 and 24.7 µg/mL, respectively). Andropogon leucostachyus extracts were the most selective (SI >28.2) and the most active in vivo (at doses of 250 mg/kg, 71% suppression of P. berghei parasitaemia versus untreated controls). CONCLUSIONS Ethnobotanical or ethnopharmacological reports describe the anti-malarial use of these plants or the antiplasmodial activity of congeneric species. No antiplasmodial activity has been demonstrated previously for the extracts of these plants. Seven plants exhibit in vivo and or in vitro anti-malarial potential. Future work should aim to discover the anti-malarial substances present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata B. S. Lima
- Laboratório de Princípios Ativos da Amazônia, Coordenação de Tecnologia e Inovação, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Avenida André Araújo, 2936, Petrópolis, 69067-375 Manaus, Amazonas Brazil ,Programa de Pós-graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Avenida Gal. Rodrigo Otávio Jordão Ramos, 3000, Coroado I, Campus Universitário, Bloco M, Setor Sul, 69077-000 Manaus, Amazonas Brazil ,Centro Universitário do Norte, Rua Dez de Julho, 873, Centro, 69010-060 Manaus, Amazonas Brazil
| | - Luiz F. Rocha e Silva
- Laboratório de Princípios Ativos da Amazônia, Coordenação de Tecnologia e Inovação, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Avenida André Araújo, 2936, Petrópolis, 69067-375 Manaus, Amazonas Brazil ,Programa de Pós-graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Avenida Gal. Rodrigo Otávio Jordão Ramos, 3000, Coroado I, Campus Universitário, Bloco M, Setor Sul, 69077-000 Manaus, Amazonas Brazil ,Centro Universitário do Norte, Rua Dez de Julho, 873, Centro, 69010-060 Manaus, Amazonas Brazil
| | - Marcia R. S. Melo
- Escola Superior de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Estadual do Amazonas, Avenida Carvalho Leal, 1777, Cachoeirinha, 69065-001 Manaus, Amazonas Brazil
| | - Jaqueline S. Costa
- Laboratório de Princípios Ativos da Amazônia, Coordenação de Tecnologia e Inovação, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Avenida André Araújo, 2936, Petrópolis, 69067-375 Manaus, Amazonas Brazil
| | - Neila S. Picanço
- Laboratório de Princípios Ativos da Amazônia, Coordenação de Tecnologia e Inovação, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Avenida André Araújo, 2936, Petrópolis, 69067-375 Manaus, Amazonas Brazil ,Programa de Pós-graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Avenida Gal. Rodrigo Otávio Jordão Ramos, 3000, Coroado I, Campus Universitário, Bloco M, Setor Sul, 69077-000 Manaus, Amazonas Brazil
| | - Emerson S. Lima
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Rua Comendador Alexandre Amorim, 330, Aparecida, 69103-000 Manaus, Amazonas Brazil
| | - Marne C. Vasconcellos
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Rua Comendador Alexandre Amorim, 330, Aparecida, 69103-000 Manaus, Amazonas Brazil
| | - Ana Paula A. Boleti
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Rua Comendador Alexandre Amorim, 330, Aparecida, 69103-000 Manaus, Amazonas Brazil
| | - Jakeline M. P. Santos
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Rua Comendador Alexandre Amorim, 330, Aparecida, 69103-000 Manaus, Amazonas Brazil
| | - Rodrigo C. N. Amorim
- Laboratório de Princípios Ativos da Amazônia, Coordenação de Tecnologia e Inovação, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Avenida André Araújo, 2936, Petrópolis, 69067-375 Manaus, Amazonas Brazil
| | - Francisco C. M. Chaves
- Embrapa Amazônia Ocidental, Rodovia AM-010, Km 29 (Estrada Manaus/Itacoatiara), Caixa Postal 319, 69010-970 Manaus, Amazonas Brazil
| | - Julia P. Coutinho
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Augusto de Lima, 1715, Barro Preto, 30190-002 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Wanderli P. Tadei
- Laboratório de Malária e Dengue, Coordenação de Sociedade, Ambiente e Saúde, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Avenida André Araújo, 2936, Petrópolis, 69067-375 Manaus, Amazonas Brazil
| | - Antoniana U. Krettli
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Augusto de Lima, 1715, Barro Preto, 30190-002 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Adrian M. Pohlit
- Laboratório de Princípios Ativos da Amazônia, Coordenação de Tecnologia e Inovação, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Avenida André Araújo, 2936, Petrópolis, 69067-375 Manaus, Amazonas Brazil
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Weathers PJ, Towler MJ. Changes in key constituents of clonally propagated Artemisia annua L. during preparation of compressed leaf tablets for possible therapeutic use. Ind Crops Prod 2014; 62:173-178. [PMID: 25228784 PMCID: PMC4163138 DOI: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2014.08.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Artemisia annua L., long used as a tea infusion in traditional Chinese medicine, produces artemisinin. Although artemisinin is currently used as artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) against malaria, oral consumption of dried leaves from the plant showed efficacy and will be less costly than ACT. Many compounds in the plant have some antimalarial activity. Unknown, however, is how these plant components change as leaves are processed into tablets for oral consumption. Here we compared extracts from fresh and dried leaf biomass with compressed leaf tablets of A. annua. Using GC-MS, nineteen endogenous compounds, including artemisinin and several of its pathway metabolites, nine flavonoids, three monoterpenes, a coumarin, and two phenolic acids, were identified and quantified from solvent extracts to determine how levels of these compounds changed during processing. Results showed that compared to dried leaves, artemisinin, arteannuin B, artemisinic acid, chlorogenic acid, scopoletin, chrysoplenetin, and quercetin increased or remained stable with powdering and compression into tablets. Dihydroartemisinic acid, monoterpenes, and chrysoplenol-D decreased with tablet formation. Five target compounds were not detectable in any of the extracts of this cultivar. In contrast to the individually measured aglycone flavonoids, using the AlCl3 method, total flavonoids increased nearly fivefold during the tablet formation. To our knowledge this is the first study documenting changes that occurred in processing dried leaves of A. annua into tablets. These results will improve our understanding of the potential use of not only this medicinal herb, but also others to afford better quality control of intact plant material for therapeutic use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela J. Weathers
- Corresponding author: BB Department, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Rd, Worcester, MA 01609, , Phone: 508-831-5196, FAX: 508-831-5936
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van der Kooy F, Sullivan SE. The complexity of medicinal plants: the traditional Artemisia annua formulation, current status and future perspectives. J Ethnopharmacol 2013; 150:1-13. [PMID: 23973523 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2013.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2013] [Revised: 08/01/2013] [Accepted: 08/06/2013] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Artemisia annua has a long tradition of use for the treatment of intermittent fevers which we now relate to malarial infections. The active principle artemisinin has been isolated from Artemisia annua and today forms the backbone of the global fight against malaria. The traditionally prepared Artemisia annua formulation is however still being used on a global scale for the treatment of malaria, and it is claimed that its action is superior to the single purified drug. Artemisia annua is therefore on the forefront of the heated debate between the single drug-single target approach of western based medicine and the holistic approach of traditional medicinal systems. This review aims to highlight the complexities we face in the general study of medicinal plants at the hand of three levels of complexity. These levels consist of (a) the chemistry of the medicinal plant, (b) the influence of the preparation method on the chemistry of the final formulation and (c) the influence of metabolism on the chemistry of the formulation. We also aim to provide an up-to-date report on all scientific work that has been conducted and published in English on the traditional formulation of Artemisia annua. MATERIALS AND METHODS All English scientific literatures published until the first quarter of 2013 were retrieved from well-known scientific databases (Scifinder scholar, Web of Science, PubMed, Google scholar) and Non-governmental organisations active in this field were consulted. A draft version of this manuscript was sent to the African office of the World Health Organisation (WHO), and to the Non-governmental organisations "Action Médicine Naturelle" (ANAMED) and "Iwerliewen fir bedreete Volleker - Réseau belgo-luxembourgeois pour la valorisation des herbes médicinales" (IFBV-BELHERB) for comments. RESULTS Very little scientific work has been conducted on the Artemisia annua formulation. The available literature contains many discrepancies which are unfortunately selectively being used by the two different sides in this debate to further their arguments. On one side of the argument we have the low content of artemisinin in Artemisia annua, the low bioavailability of artemisinin when the traditional formulation is administered and the high levels of recrudescence, which are being emphasised, while on the other side the possible role of synergism and prodrugs are being highlighted. This review reports that there are still too many gaps in our existing knowledge to provide conclusive evidence for either of the two sides of the argument. CONCLUSIONS Much more research is needed into Artemisia annua formulations. We stand to gain invaluable knowledge into how traditional medicinal plant works, discover the identities of new active compounds (which can be used against other diseases such as HIV, diarrhoea, and cancer) and possibly bring both sides of this debate closer together.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank van der Kooy
- Centre for Complementary Medicine Research, University of Western Sydney, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia.
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