Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine Yields Its Secrets

Chang San, a Chinese herbal medicine, has been used for thousands of years to treat malaria fevers, yet its mode of action has eluded scientists. A structural study has now revealed clues about how the medicine works: The active compound kills malaria parasites by binding to and blocking the activity of a key enzyme involved in making proteins. In an unusual twist, the scientists discovered that ATP, a molecule needed for the enzyme to function normally, enables the binding. These details of the herbal compound bound to the enzyme and ATP suggests the medicine’s structure could be a useful model in designing drugs to treat numerous other diseases.
Source: NIGMS Biomedical Beat - Category: Research Source Type: news