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Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an alphavirus transmitted by infected Aedes mosquitoes (Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus) (1). Global expansion epidemics have been reported (1). The disease is characterized by acute [...]

Abstract Background Anti-malarial drug resistance has emerged as one of the biggest challenges confronting the worldwide effort to control malaria. The appearance of chloroquine and multi-drug resistance had devastating effects on therapeutic efficacy of former first-line agents. Artemisinin has proven to be an excellent therapeutic alternative to fill the void in chemotherapeutic options left by resistance mechanisms. At the time of introduction, no resistance to artemisinins had been recorded, and artemisinins demonstrated excellent parasite reduction rates. In an attempt to protect artemisinin efficacy, the World Health Organization (WHO) made artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) its official first-line treatment recommendation for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum in 2006. In Brazil, artemether/lumefantrine became the Brazilian Malaria Control Programme's official treatment recommendation in 2007. The sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ - ATPase ortholog of P. falciparum (pfatp6) has been suggested as one of the targets of artemisinins. Consequently, pfatp6 gene polymorphisms are being investigated as markers of artemisinin resistance elsewhere. The goal of this work was to describe the molecular profile of pfatp6 in P. falciparum isolates from different localities in the Amazonas State. Methods DNA polymorphisms of the pfatp6 gene in 80 P. falciparum isolates from 11 municipalities of the Amazonas State (Western Brazilian Amazon), before and after the introduction of ACT in the Brazilian anti-malarial guidelines, were analysed by automatic sequencing. Mutations in the pfatp6 gene were searched using Mutation Surveyor v3.25 software. Results The P. falciparum pfatp6 gene presented polymorphisms at codons 37, 630 and 898. The R37K mutation was found in 16% of the samples, A630S in 32% and I898I in 52%. No S769N mutation, however, was detected in the analysed samples. Conclusion Despite the small number of samples, data presented here provide baseline information about polymorphisms of pfatp6 gene before and after exposure to ACT in a low transmission area, which will help to infer drug selection pressure in this area in the future.

Abstract Background The goal of the present study was the characterization of Plasmodium falciparum genes associated to malaria drug resistance (pfcrt, pfdhfr and pfdhps), in samples from two Brazilian localities. Methods Parasites from 65 P. falciparum samples were genotyped using nested-PCR and direct DNA sequencing. Results Six resistant sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) pfdhfr genotypes and one haplotype associated to SP sensitivity were detected. For pfcrt gene, SVMNT chloroquine (CQ)-resistant genotype was detected as well as the CVMNK CQ-sensitive haplotype in the same sample from Paragominas, that showed a SP-sensitive genotype. Conclusion This study is the first to document the sensitivity of P. falciparum parasites to CQ and SP in Brazilian field samples. The importance of these findings is discussed.

Abstract Background The Plasmodium falciparum P126 protein is an asexual blood-stage malaria vaccine candidate antigen. Antibodies against P126 are able to inhibit parasite growth in vitro, and a major parasite-inhibitory epitope has been recently mapped to its 47 kDa N-terminal extremity (octamer repeat domain – OR domain). The OR domain basically consists of six octamer units, but variation in the sequence and number of repeat units may appear in different alleles. The aim of the present study was to investigate the polymorphism of P126 N-terminal region OR domain in P. falciparum isolates from two Brazilian malaria endemic areas and its impact on anti-OR naturally acquired antibodies. Methods The study was carried out in two villages, Candeias do Jamari (Rondonia state) and Peixoto de Azevedo (Mato Grosso state), both located in the south-western part of the Amazon region. The repetitive region of the gene encoding the P126 antigen was PCR amplified and sequenced with the di-deoxy chain termination procedure. The antibody response was evaluated by ELISA with the Nt47 synthetic peptide corresponding to the P126 OR-II domain. Results Only two types of OR fragments were identified in the studied areas, one of 175 bp (OR-I) and other of 199 bp (OR-II). A predominance of the OR-II fragment was observed in Candeias do Jamari whereas in Peixoto de Azevedo both fragments OR-I and OR-II were frequent as well as mixed infection (both fragments simultaneously) reported here for the first time. Comparing the DNA sequencing of OR-I and OR-II fragments, there was a high conservation among predicted amino acid sequences of the P126 N-terminal extremity. Data of immune response demonstrated that the OR domain is highly immunogenic in natural conditions of exposure and that the polymorphism of the OR domain does not apparently influence the specific immune response. Conclusion These findings confirm a limited genetic polymorphism of the P126 OR domain in P. falciparum isolates and that this limited genetic polymorphism does not seem to influence the development of a specific humoral immune response to P126 and its immunogenicity in the studied population.

Although the use of macrofungi in popular medicine is very common, especially in East Asia, the knowledge about their pharmacological properties is poorly investigated. The aim of this work was to evaluate the pharmacological potential of six species of macroscopic fungi: Phellinus rimosus (Berk.) Pilát (Hymenochaetaceae), Pycnoporus sanguineus (L.) Murrill (Poyporaceae), Hymenochaete rheicolor (Mont.) Lév. (Hymenochaetaceae), Hexagonia papyracea Berk. (Polyporaceae), Datronia caperata (Berk.) Ryvarden (Polyporaceae), and Lepiota sp. (Agaricaceae), collected in the state of Bahia, in north-eastern Brazil. Extracts of these species were obtained and tested to determine their cytotoxicity in normal mouse spleen cells. Immunomodulatory, antineoplasic and antiparasitic activities were investigated. Four macrofungi extracts ( Phellinus rimosus, Hymenochaete rheicolor, Lepiota sp., and Datronia caperata) inhibited the lymphoproliferative response stimulated by concanavalin A in 65–96% of inhibition in mitogen-induced lymphoproliferation assay, three ( Hymenochaete rheicolor, Pycnoporus sanguineus, and Lepiota sp.) inhibited 60–70% of production of nitric oxide by J774 activated by IFN-γ and LPS, and two ( Phellinus rimosus and Pycnoporus sanguineus) had antimalarial activity against chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum (over 60%). We did not find inhibition greater than 60% to the growth of both Leishmania amazonensis and Trypanosoma cruzi. To our knowledge, this is the first description of immunomodulatory activity of Hymenochaete rheicolor (HR), Datronia caperata (DC) and Pycnoporus sanguineus (PS). These results indicate that macrofungi species from the Brazilian north-east have pharmacological activity and are thus a potential source of natural products with medicinal interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bidens pilosa (Asteraceae), a medicinal plant used worldwide, has antimalarial activity as shown in previous work. This study tested ethanol extracts from wild plants collected in three different regions of Brazil and from plants cultivated in various soil conditions. The extracts were active in mice infected with P. berghei: doses of ≤500 mg/kg administered by oral route reduced malaria parasitaemia and mouse mortality; higher doses were found to be less effective. Tested in vitro against three P. falciparum isolates, two chloroquine resistant and one mefloquine resistant, the plants cultivated under standard conditions, and in humus enriched soil, were active; but the wild plants were the most active. Analysis using thin layer chromatography demonstrated the presence of flavonoids (compounds considered responsible for the antimalarial activity) in all plants tested, even though at different profiles. Because B. pilosa is proven to be active against P. falciparum drug-resistant parasites in vitro, and in rodent malaria in vivo, it is a good candidate for pre-clinical tests as a phytotherapeutic agent or for chemical isolation of the active compounds with the aim of finding new antimalarial drugs. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antimalarial activity of benzo[a]phenazines synthesized from 1,2-naphthoquinone, lapachol, beta-lapachone and several derivatives have been tested against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro using isolates of parasites with various susceptibilities to chloroquine and/or mefloquine. Parasite growth in the presence of the test drugs was measured by incorporation of [(3)H]-hipoxanthine in comparison to controls with no drugs, always testing in parallel chloroquine, a standard antimalarial. Among seven benzophenazines tested, four had significant in vitro activities; important, the parasites resistant to chloroquine were more susceptible to the active phenazines in vitro. The doses of phenazines causing 50% inhibition of parasite growth varied from 1.67 to 9.44 microM. The two most active ones were also tested in vivo against Plasmodium berghei in mice, in parallel with lapachol and beta-lapachone. The 3-sulfonic acid-beta-lapachone-derived phenazine was the most active causing up to 98% inhibition of parasitaemia in long term treatment (7 doses) subcutaneously, whereas the phenazine from 3-bromo-beta-lapachone was inactive. Thus, these simple phenazines, containing polar (-Br,-I) and ionizable (-SO(3)H, -OH) groups, easily synthesized from cheap, natural or synthetic precursors (lapachol and beta-lapachone), at rather low cost, provide prototypes for development of new antimalarials aiming the chloroquine resistant parasites.