IN-VITRO GAMETOCYTOCIDAL ACTIVITY OF ARTEMISININ AND ITS DERIVATIVES ON PLASMODIUM-FALCIPARUM

Artemisinin and six of its derivatives were evaluated for their in vit ro gametocytocidal and erythrocytic schizontocidal properties on an In dian isolate of Plasmodium falciparum. One of the metabolic derivative s, DADF-dihydroartemisinin (NIH02), was found to possess gametocytocid al and erythrocytic schizontocidal properties similar to those of arte misinin. Gametocytes of this isolate were highly susceptible to the to xic effect of NIH02 (IC50=6.6 ng/ml) and younger stages were more sens itive. This is the first report about the in vitro game to cytocidal p roperties of a derivative of artemisinin.