Antimalarial Activity of Quassinoids Against Chloroquine-Resistant Plasmodium Falciparum in Vitro

Abstract

The growth of Plasmodium falciparum in vitro was markedly inhibited by certain quassinoids (the bitter principles from plants of the family Simaroubaceae). The most active compound, simalikalactone D, gave complete inhibition at 0.002 µg/ml. Glaucarubinone and soularubinone were equally effective at 0.006 µg/ml, whereas chaparrinone and simarolide had little effect even at 0.01 µg/ml. These relative activities are parallel to the antineoplastic activities of these materials.