Herbal Antimalarials

Anti Malarial Drugs
of
Natural Origin
Dr. Rahul Kaushik
Assistant Professor
Ram-Eesh Institute of Vocational &
Technical Education, Greater Noida
Email: rahulkcsji@gmail.comDr. Rahul Kaushik (Email:
rahulkcsji@gmail.com)

Dr. Rahul Kaushik (Email:

Introduction
 Malaria is one of the most common infectious diseases and
an enormous public health problem.
 There are five species of the plasmodium parasite that can
infect humans, these are :
 Plasmodium falciparum (Most Fatal)
 Plasmodium vivax (Mild Fatal)
 Plasmodium ovale (Mild Fatal)
Plasmodium malariae (Mild Fatal) and
Plasmodium knowlesi: causes malaria in macaques ( a
type of monkey ) but can also infect humans.
This group of human-pathogenic Plasmodium species is
usually referred to as malaria parasites.
Malaria proves fatal due to complications of cerebral
malaria.Dr. Rahul Kaushik (Email:

How Malaria spreads ?

Irrespective of a large range of synthetic anti malarial
drugs, the world is facing problems in the complete
eradication of Malaria.
The reasons behind the failure are:
 Emergence of malarial parasites resistant to existing anti
malarial drugs.
 Resistance of vector female anopheles mosquitoes to
insecticides such as DDT.
 Avoidance of insecticides use because of toxicological &
ecological considerations.
 Failure of scientists to develop a successful malaria
vaccine till date.
Now the Scientists and researchers are looking for Nature
to find solution to this disease along with improvements in
the existing synthetic and semi synthetic drugs in use.

Advantages of herbal drugs :
 Minimum chances of toxicity to a particular drug
molecule.
 A large number molecules of related chemical
structures increases therapeutic efficacy.
 Less Side effects.
 Easy Availability and thus cheap cost.
 Use over History.

Some natural drugs
having Anti-Malarial action
The drugs showing anti-malarial properties are enlisted below.
•Cinchona species
•Artemisia annua
•Azadirachta indica
•Caesalpinia crista
•Morinda lucida
•Picrasma nitida
•Quasinoids
•Brucea javanica
•Plumbago benesis
•Punica gratum
•Glycyrrhiza glabra
•Cassia occidental
•Cardiospermum halicacabum
•Euphorbia hirta
•Phyllantus niruriDr. Rahul Kaushik (Email:

Herbal Anti-Malarial Drugs
CINCHONA
Synonym:Jesuit’s bark,Peruvian bark
Biological source : Cinchona calisaya,C.officinalis,C.succirubra.
Family : Rubraceae
Geographical source :India ,Bolivia , Peru
Parts used : Barks
Chemical constituents: Quinine,quinidine,cinchonine,cinchonidine.
Mechanism of action :
Cinchona alkaloids gets concentrated in the acidic vacuoles of the blood
schizonts & causes pigment changes,inhibits polymerization of heme to
hemozoin.Free heme or heme- quinine complex damages parasite
membrane & kill it.
Uses :Antimalarial action,cinchona tincture,etc. are also employed as
bitter stomachics & antipyretic.
Recent research:
Infusions of quinine rather than intravenous injection eliminates the risk of
sudden death.
Quinine in microencapsulated form has been reported to give better
bioavailability.
Quinine Quinidine

NEEM
Synonym: Margosa
Biological source : Azadirachta indica, Melica indica.
Family : Meliaceae.
Geographical source :India, Pakistan,Bangladesh,Malaysia.
Parts used : Leaves,seed,flowers,fruits,bark and roots.
Chemical constituents: Active constituents & uses :
Leaves : Azadirachtin ,Meliantriol, Salanin .
Seeds : Nimbin, Nimbidin,Azadirachtin .
Flowers : Kaempferol,Myricitin.
Fruits : Deacetyl azadirachtinol .
Bark : Nimbin,nimbinin,nimbidin, margolone,margolone .
Roots : Compounds with antibacterial & antifungal properties.
Uses :Antimalarial action, anti bacterial and anti microbial,
insecticidal properties..
Recent research:
 Recently ,it is found that it contains different chemicals which
have insect repellant, insecticidal,antifeedant,nematicidal and anti
malarial properties.
AzadirachtinDr. Rahul Kaushik (Email:

ARTIMISIA
Synonym: Wormwood,quinghao.
Biological source : Artemisia annua.
Family : Asteraceae.
Geographical source : China,India
(Kashmir).
Parts used : Unexpanded flower heads.
Chemical constituents: Artimisinin,
artemether,artether,artemisinic acid.
Mechanism of action : The endoperoxide
bridge in its molecule appears to interact with
heme in the parasite. Iron mediated cleavage
of the bridge releases a highly reactive free
radical species that binds to membrane
proteins,causes lipid peroxidation,damages
endoplasmic reticulum, inhibits protein
synthesis & altemately lysis of parasite.
Uses :Artemisinin shows antimalarial
effects by its rapid blood schizonticidal
activity.
Recent research :
Artemisia is the most potent drug for
treating cerebral malaria. Artesunate &
artemether have also been found to be
highly effective.
Artimisin

 Amla
 Botanical Name : Phyllanthus embelica
Linn.
 Family Name : Euphorbiaceae
 Common Name : Stone Breaker,Gale Of
Wind, Carry Me Seed, Creole Senna,Amla.
 Part Used : Whole Plant
 Habitat : Common in central and southern
india extending to srilanka.
 Uses : Phyllanthus blocks DNA
polymerase, the enzyme needed for the
hepatitis B virus to reproduce. It also
prevent from jaundice,diabetes,
dyspepsia, ulcers, sores, swellings,
ophthalmia and chronic dysentery. . It is
bitter, astringent, cold, anti-inflammatory,
hepatoprotective and useful in liver
disorders, cough, asthma, jaundice,
spleen disorders and strong anti bacterial
and anti malarial.
 Chemical constituents : Rich source of
Vit-C, pectin, gallic acid, ellagic acid, IAA,
Vit-C Indole acetic acid Gallic acid
Ellagic acid Pectin

PLUMBAGO BENESIS
Biological source : Plumbago benesis.
Family : Euphorbiaceae.
Geographical source : South America.
Parts used : Flowers.
Chemical constituents: Plumbagin , 3,3’-plumbagin ,
8,8’-plumbagin.
Uses :Have in-vitro activities against P.falciparum &
epimastigotes of T.cruzi & also show antileishmaniasis
activity.
Plumbagin

Cassia occidentalis L.
Family – Fabaceae
Habitat - Low alluvial ground, roadsides,
railroads.
Origin - Native to Central and South America.
Common names :Bamanan, Haussa. It is
sometimes called “coffee senna.”
Parts used: Leaves.
Chemical constituents: Alkaloids 0.13%,
anthraquinones and a bianthraquinone,flavonoid
glycosides matteucinol 7-rhamnoside (I) and
jaceidin 7-rhamnoside (II) .
Two new bis (tetrahydro) anthracene derivatives,
occidentalol-1 (IIII, R1 = Me and R2 = H) and
occidentalol-II (III, R1 = R2 = H) were isolated
from the roots of C. occidentalis alongue with
chrysophanol, emodin, pinselin, questin,
germichrysone, methylgermitorosone and
singueanol-I (I, R1 = R2 = Me).
Uses : Cassia species have been used
medicinally, and these tropical plants have a rich
history in natural medicine as purgatives and
laxatives.
Recent research : The antimalarial activity of C.
occidentalis crude extracts was confirmed. The
plant showed more than 60% inhibition of the

Brucea javanica (Linnaeus) Merrill
Family – Simaroubaceae.
Habitat - Open shrubby forests in foothills; below
100-1000 meters.
Origin - India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar,
Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka; Australia.
Parts used: Whole plant.
Chemical constituents:
Bruceoside A
Bruceoside B
Bruceine D
Bruceine E
Yadanzioside A
Yadanzioside G
(20R)-O-(3)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-pregn-5-ene-
3β,20-diol and
α-D-glucopyranoside,
Uses :.Anti malarial.
Recent research : Anti malarial activity has
been proved and the plant is under investigation
for other pharmacological properties.
Bruceoside B Bruceoside A
Bruceine
Yadanzioside A
Bruceine EDr. Rahul Kaushik (Email:

 Pomegranate Seed Oil
 Botanical Name : Punica granatum
 Family Name : Puniacaceae
 Common Name : Pomegranate, Pom,anar
 Part Used : Pomegranate Seed Oil,
Pomegranate Oil
 Habitat : Cultivated all over india.
 Uses : Oil possesses Antibacterial
properties. Pomegranate is now well known
for antioxidant properties.Researches are still
going on to confirm the anti malarial
properties.
 Chemical constituents : Pomegranate
seeds yeild a drying oil which contains
Pucinic acid forming upto 72% of the fatty
acid. Pucinic acid is conjugated triene and
geometrical isomer of elaostearic
acid,punicalin and punicaligin.
Punicalin Punicaligin

Morinda lucida Benth
Family – Rubiaceae.
Origin - Native to South asia.
Common names : Indian mulberry, nono, nonu,
cheese fruit, Ba Ji Tian,noni fruit.
Parts used: All parts of the noni plant can be used:
roots, stems, bark, leaves, and flowers and of
course the fruits.
Chemical constituents: Octoanoic
acid, Scopoletin, Damnacanthal, Terpenoids,
Anthraquinones, Caproic acid, Ursolic acid, Rutin
Uses : Noni has been reported to have a range of
health benefits for colds, cancer, diabetes, asthma,
hypertension, pain, skin infection, high blood
pressure, mental depression, atherosclerosis and
arthritis.
The noni contain the antibacterial compounds in the
fruits (acubin, L-asperuloside and alizarin) and roots
(anthrauinones). Noni conatins scopoletin which
inhibits the growth of Escherichia coli, which is
responsible for intestinal infections, and Heliobacter
pylori, which causes ulcers.
Damnacanthal, which is found in the noni roots,
inhibits the tyrosine kinase and gives noni antitumor
activity.
Damnacanthal
Rutin Scopoletin

Conclusion
Certain aspects of the mechanisms of actions of these natural anti malarial
drugs are still not fully understood even then a huge proportion of the world
population is using these holistic medicines for their wellness.
In the absence of vaccines, these compounds and their derivatives are crucial
for the control of malaria. The complexity of the parasite mechanism coupled
with progressive resistance to malarial drugs presents researchers with
numerous difficulties in the development of both effective vaccines and more
powerful pharmaceuticals.
One of the biggest obstacles in the battle against malaria is poorly sanitized
areas where the disease is most prevalent.
In fact there are optimistic perspectives on the continuing investigation of
plants used in traditional medicines for the treatment of malaria, and they will
certainly lead the scientific community to the discovery of more new efficient
molecular templates and phytomedicines for this disease.
These drugs are affordable and accessible to those most in need.
So lets start discovering nature more and more so that we will be able to fight
with every existing mass disease problems and also be prepared for the
future.Dr. Rahul Kaushik (Email:

Thanks for Cooperation !!

Herbal Antimalarials

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Herbal Antimalarials

Similar to Herbal Antimalarials (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Herbal Antimalarials