Pharmacognosy - 5.14 Antimalarials
Anti-Malarial Drugs
By Mr. Bhosale, SKCP, Kasbe Digraj
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Antimalarial drugs in pharmacognosy used for treating malaria. Malaria is a disease caused by a parasite. The parasite is spread to humans through the bites of infected female Anopheles (warmer countries) mosquitoes.
Cinchona
Synonyms
Cortex Cinchonae, Countess (काउंटेस), Peruvian or Jesuits bark, Cinchona
Biological Source
Dried bark of Cinchona officinalis (ऑफिसिनालिस), Cinchona ledgeriana (लेडजेरियाना), Cinchona calisaya (कलिसाया), and Cinchona succirubra (सुक्सीरुब्रा).
(Indian variety: Cinchona officinalis)
Family
Rubiaceae (रुबिएसी)
Major Chemical Constituents
Alkaloids: Quinine (क्विनाइन), Quinidine (क्विनिडीन), Cinchonine (सिंकोनीन), Cinchonidine (सिंकोनिडीन)
Minor Chemical Constituents
Tannins: (Cinchotannic acid)
Quinovic acid, Cinchona red, Resins, Starch
Uses
- Antimalarial: (Primarily Quinine)
- Antiarrhythmic: (Primarily Quinidine)
- Analgesic & Antipyretic: (Historical use, less common now)
- Muscle Relaxant: Effective in treating nocturnal leg cramps (Quinine)
- Natural dye (Cinchona red)
- Flavoring agent (e.g., in tonic water)
- Insect repellent (Traditional use)
- Fever treatment (Historical use)
Artemisia
Synonyms
sweet wormwood, sweet annie, sweet sagewort, annual mugwort or annual wormwood
Biological Source
Aerial parts of Artemisia annua (आर्टेमिसिया एनुआ) (Indian variety)
Family
Asteraceae (एस्टेरेसी)
Major Chemical Constituents
Sesquiterpene Lactones: Artemisinin (आर्टेमिसिनिन), Arteannuin B (आर्टीएनुइन-बी), Artemisitene (आर्टेमिसिटीन)
Minor Chemical Constituents
Other sesquiterpenes, Polysaccharides, Other phenolics, Lignans, Essential oils.
Uses
- Antimalarial: Artemisinin and its derivatives are used to treat drug-resistant and non-drug resistant malaria (often in combination therapies - ACTs).
- Antioxidant, Anti-cancer, Anti-inflammatory & Anti-bacterial.