Melatonin effects on Plasmodium life cycle: new avenues for therapeutic approach.

Melatonin effects on Plasmodium life cycle: new avenues for therapeutic approach. Recent Pat Endocr Metab Immune Drug Discov. 2012 May;6(2):139-47 Authors: Srinivasan V, Ahmad AH, Mohamed M, Zakaria R Abstract Malaria remains a global health problem affecting more than 515 million people all over the world including Malaysia. It is on the rise, even within unknown regions that previous to this were free of malaria. Although malaria eradication programs carried out by vector control programs are still effective, anti-malarial drugs are also used extensively for curtailing this disease. But resistance to the use of anti-malarial drugs is also increasing on a daily basis. With an increased understanding of mechanisms that cause growth, differentiation and development of malarial parasites in rodents and humans, new avenues of therapeutic approaches for controlling the growth, synchronization and development of malarial parasites are essential. Within this context, the recent discoveries related to IP3 interconnected signalling pathways, the release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores of Plasmodium, ubiquitin protease systems as a signalling pathway, and melatonin influencing the growth and differentiation of malarial parasites by its effects on these signalling pathways have opened new therapeutic avenues for arresting the growth and differentiation of malarial parasites. Indeed, the use of melatonin antagonist, luzindole, has inhibited t...
Source: Recent Patents on Endocrine, Metabolic and Immune Drug Discovery - Category: Endocrinology Tags: Recent Pat Endocr Metab Immune Drug Discov Source Type: research