Antimalarial Drugs Work by Slowing Crystal Growth

Researchers exploring the effects of drugs for malaria have discovered that the malaria parasite develops unique crystals that protect it from toxins formed during the digestion of hemoglobin. The inhibition of these crystals by antimalarial drugs is what eventually kills the parasite. These findings were reported in the November 6, 2002, issue of Crystal Growth and Design.

Investigators from TransForm Pharmaceuticals (Lexington, MA, USA) in collaboration with colleagues from the Weizmann Institute of Science (Rehovot, Israel) studied the interaction between quinoline-based drugs such as chloroquine and the malaria parasite crystals. They found that drugs like chloroquine slowed the growth of the crystals. Slowing the crystal growth enabled heme to accumulate to toxic levels and ultimately kill the parasite.

"This discovery illustrates the value of understanding physical chemistry and crystalline surface structure to explain the mechanism of a drug's action,” explained Dr. Colin Gardner, chief scientific officer at TransForm. "This is a very exciting development, and demonstrates the importance of examining biophysical crystals as drug targets.”



Related Links:
TransForm Pharmaceuticals
Weizmann Institute of Science