Natural anti–malarials: A bright hope

Authors

  • Shoeb Ahmad Section of Genetics, Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002 (UP), India
  • G G H A Shadab Section of Genetics, Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002 (UP), India India
  • Nuzhat Parveen Section of Genetics, Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002 (UP), India

Keywords:

Malaria, Plasmodium, drug resistance, combination therapy, natural anti–malarials

Abstract

Malaria is still an ever–continuing epidemic that claims a large number of lives in tropical and subtropical regions of the globe. The alarming rate at which the parasite, Plasmodium has developed resistance to currently used anti–malarial drugs makes it imperative to search for newer and more effective therapeutic agents. In this context, during last few decades several fundamental researches have been conducted to explore novel anti–malarial formulations. However, recent scientific evidences have indeed demonstrated that a variety of plant compounds may check the survival of Plasmodium both in vitro and in vivo. But, there is a need to evaluate and advocate their efficiency in a proper way, because reliable data on the clinical pharmacology and safety of such formulae are extremely scarce, preventing a responsible consideration of their potential benefits. Conclusively, after reviewing literatures it is very clear that plants with anti–malarial activity do not have fully defined this therapeutic property. Therefore, it is necessary to encourage multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research, mostly those related to natural products enabling the discovery of new and appropriate anti–malarial pharmaceuticals.

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Published

31-12-2013

How to Cite

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Shoeb Ahmad, G G H A Shadab, Nuzhat Parveen. Natural anti–malarials: A bright hope. ijp [Internet]. 2013 Dec. 31 [cited 2024 Dec. 6];5(4):387-93. Available from: https://ijp.arjournals.org/index.php/ijp/article/view/278

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Review Article