Abstract
Author(s): Priya Jain*, Dheeraj S Bele
Malaria is a complex disease with ample of host–parasite interactions. Due to long terminal elimination half-life, a shallow concentration-effect relationship, and mutations a drug becomes vulnerable to resistance development. Identifying and emphasizing new targets against malaria is surpassingly desired. These varied new targets will provide important new drugs in the future. P. falciparum 1–deoxy–D–xylulose–5–phosphate reductoisomerase plays a role in isoprenoid biosynthesis in the malaria parasite, making this parasite enzyme an attractive target for antimalarial drug design. Erythrocytic schizogony is targeted by artemisinins. Interfering with the schizont stage and release of merozoites are potentially promising but unexploited strategies. Many compounds target a host cell enzyme rather than a molecule encoded by the parasite. As the objective of malaria treatment moves from control to elimination, targeting sexual development and sporogony are being extensively worked. Drugs that block the infectivity of the mature sexual form of the gametocyte will be particularly important. Protozoan aquaporins are increasingly recognized as potential drug targets for antiprotozoan drugs. It is hypothesized that Plasmodium aquaglyceroporin provides the pathway for glycerol uptake into the malaria parasite. Parasitic AQP is considered to be an attractive target for drug treatment since it has sequence differences compared to that of human AQP. As per WHO Malaria Report 2013, highly cost-effective strategies for antimalarial research are recommended. For the discovery of novel classes of drugs focus on cellular function as a system should be made rather than on the level of the single process or molecule.