China
Africa
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Exploring Important Herbs, Shrubs, and Trees for Their Traditional Knowledge, Chemical Derivatives, and Potential Benefits
Published in Azamal Husen, Herbs, Shrubs, and Trees of Potential Medicinal Benefits, 2022
Tilahun Belayneh Asfaw, Tarekegn Berhanu Esho, Archana Bachheti, Rakesh Kumar Bachheti, D.P. Pandey, Azamal Husen
Trees are also a common source of traditional medicine and food. Several species are given in Table 1.3 for the treatment of ailments, such as cancer, fever, wound, malaria, etc. (Table 1.3). For instance, the plants S. guineense (Oladosu et al., 2017; Aung et al., 2020; Tesfaye et al., 2020) and P. Africana (Hook.f.) Kalkman (James et al., 2008; Komakech et al., 2017; Uchôa et al., 2016) species are traditionally used to treat cancer (skin and breast cancers). Similarly, several other medicinal plant species are used for the treatments of different illnesses and ailments such as A. annua L. for the treatment of fever and malaria in which the major secondary metabolites isolated from this species are artemisinin, artemisinic (arteanuic acid), arteannuin B and dihydroarteannuin. Of these chemical substances, artemisinin is a biologically active compound that is used clinically for the treatment of malaria.
Artemisia Species
Published in Mahendra Rai, Shandesh Bhattarai, Chistiane M. Feitosa, Wild Plants, 2020
Suroowan Shanoo, Jugreet B. Sharmeen, Mahomoodally M. Fawzi
Compared to conventional drug agents employed, artemisinin has almost no side–effects, with dihydroartemisinic acid being its precursor (Tian et al. 2017). Artemisin has been an invaluable contribution, and has enabled significant relief among malaria sufferers following the development of resistance among malaria parasites against quinines (Bhakuni et al. 2001, Sen et al. 2007). Besides the generalized pharmacological activities of the Artemisia genus, A. annua is also a potent anti-cancer and anti-leishmaniasis agent (Bhakuni 2001, Sen et al. 2007, Crespo-Ortiz and Wei 2011). In an attempt to prevent the development of resistance against artemisinin, its combination with other antimalarial drugs can be envisaged, following results retrieved from validated clinical trials to prevent any occurrences of possible hepatotoxicity (Efferth 2017, Steketee and Eisele 2017).
Progress in Antimalarial Drug Discovery and Development
Published in Venkatesan Jayaprakash, Daniele Castagnolo, Yusuf Özkay, Medicinal Chemistry of Neglected and Tropical Diseases, 2019
Anna C.C. Aguiar, Wilian A. Cortopassi, Antoniana U. Krettli
The cytotoxic effect of artemisinin (1) derivatives is mediated by free radicals followed by the alkylation of P. falciparum proteins. The active moiety of artemisinin (1) derivatives, a sesquiterpene lactone containing an endoperoxide bridge, is cleaved in the presence of ferrous iron, generating ROS such as hydroxyl radicals, superoxide anions, and carbon-centered free radicals (Asawamahasakda et al. 1994, Berman et al. 1997, Meshnick et al. 1993).
Discovery of small molecule inhibitors of Plasmodium falciparum apicoplast DNA polymerase
Published in Journal of Enzyme Inhibition and Medicinal Chemistry, 2022
Supreet Kaur, Nicholas S. Nieto, Peter McDonald, Josh R. Beck, Richard B. Honzatko, Anuradha Roy, Scott W. Nelson
Malaria kills over half a million people each year with the majority of those deaths occurring in children under five years of age1. Over 40% of the world’s population live in areas where Malaria is a serious health risk with more than 215 million new cases diagnosed each year1. During the last century, Malaria was controlled with chloroquine, but resistance emerged in the 1950s, starting in Southeast Asia, then spreading throughout Asia, and finally Africa2. Artemisinin and its derivatives are current drugs of choice and are especially effective in combination with slow-acting anti-malarial drugs. In 2005, partial resistance to artemisinin arose in parasites from Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam3. Parasites resistant to artemisinin-based therapies are now prevalent in Southeast Asia and are emerging in Africa, jeopardising global programs to control Malaria. New drugs targeting novel parasite biology may play a critical role in curbing the impact of this disease4–7.
Metabolomics in antimicrobial drug discovery
Published in Expert Opinion on Drug Discovery, 2022
Medicinal plants have been in the arsenal of traditional medicine for millennia, but the identity of compounds that are responsible for therapeutic activities remained poorly defined. One of the well-known examples of a plant-derived antimicrobial is artemisinin, which was initially isolated from sweet wormwood (Artemisia annua), the herb used in traditional Chinese medicine [57]. Artemisinin and its derivatives are now used in combination therapies against malaria and other parasitic infections. Another herb, used in traditional Chinese medicine, is Aquilegia oxysepala, extract of which exhibits anti-staphylococcal activity [58]. A number of metabolites isolated from the plant extract demonstrated some similarity with antimicrobials with the known mode of action (MoA). More than 400 compounds have been isolated from different parts of the neem tree (Azadirachta indica), which is widely used in traditional medicine in Asia for its antimicrobial, antimalarial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and many other beneficial properties [59]. Some secondary bioactive metabolites include azadirachtin, nimbidin, nimbin, nimbolide, gedunin, and others.
Effects of 27 natural products on drug metabolism genes in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) cell line
Published in Xenobiotica, 2020
Zhenyue Wang, Yongtao Liu, Xiaohui Ai, Liqiao Zhong, Gang Han, Jinlong Song, Qiuhong Yang, Jing Dong
Artemisinins play a key role in the treatment of malaria since they has not yet developed resistance to malaria parasites (Burk et al., 2012). In addition, other researches had showed that artemisinins speed up their own elimination by inducing drug-metabolizing enzymes (Wang, 2013). The real-time quantitative PCR experiments showed that the transcription of PXR and CYP3A30 gene were significantly increased under the treatment of artemisinin and dihydroartemisinin. This result indicated that artemisinin was effective inducers of CYP3A30 and PXR gene as well as CYP3A enzyme activity in CC-K cells. The result was consistent with previous articles which indicated that artemisinin induced CYP3A gene expression through PXR regulatory pathway in vivo and in vitro (Burk et al., 2012; Hu et al., 2014). We speculated that the regulation of CYP3A gene and enzyme activity in CC-K cells by artemisinin might be related to the PXR regulatory pathway, but further verification is needed.