Inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum growth by a synthetic iron chelator

Eugene N. Iheanacho, Amram Samuni, Schelly Avramovici-Grisaru, Shalom Sarel, Dan T. Spira*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

The susceptibility of the chloroquine-resistant malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum (FCR-3) to a pyridoxal-based iron chelator was tested. 10 μ m of the chelator 1 [n-ethoxycarbonylmethyl-pyridoxylidenium]-2-[2'-pyridyl] hydrazine bromide (code name L2-9) effectively inhibited growth in vitro of the parasites. Presaturation of the chelator with either ferric or ferrous iron partially blocked the inhibitory effect. Two hours' exposure of parasites to 20 L2-9 was sufficient to inhibit their growth irreversibly. Desferrioxamine blocked the inhibitory effect of L2-9. It is suggested that the chelator may be acting by generating free radicals in complexing intracellular iron.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)213-216
Number of pages4
JournalTransactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Volume84
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1990
Externally publishedYes

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