Artemisinin, an endoperoxide antimalarial, disrupts the hemoglobin catabolism and heme detoxification systems in malarial parasite
Pandey, A.V.; Tekwani, B.L.; Singh, R.L.; Chauhan, V.S., 1999: Artemisinin, an endoperoxide antimalarial, disrupts the hemoglobin catabolism and heme detoxification systems in malarial parasite. Journal of Biological Chemistry 274(27): 19383-8
Inhibition of digestive vacuole proteolytic activity of Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis by artemisinin was observed in vitro. These observations were further confirmed by ex vivo experiments showing accumulation of haemoglobin in the parasites treated with artemisinin, suggesting inhibition of haemoglobin degradation. Artemisinin was a potent inhibitor of haem polymerization activity mediated by P. yoelii lysates as well as P. falciparum histidine-rich protein II.