Malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum is a major public health problem in
the developing countries of the world. Clinical treatment of malaria has b
ecome complicated due to the occurrence of infections caused by drug resist
ant parasites. Secondary metabolites from fungi are an attractive source of
chemotherapeutic agents. This work reports the isolation and in vitro anti
plasmodial activities of peptide antibiotics of fungal origin. The three pe
ptide antibiotics used in this study were efrapeptins, zervamicins, and ant
iamoebin. The high-performance liquid chromatography-purified peptides were
characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectral analysis. Al
l three fungal peptides kill P. falciparum in culture with 50% inhibitory c
oncentrations in the micromolar range. A possible mode of action of these p
eptide antibiotics on P. falciparum is presented.