Brazilian researchers have developed a synthetic compound with the potential to both treat malaria and prevent its transmission, offering a promising new approach to combatting the disease. The novel molecule targets multiple stages of the malaria parasite’s life cycle, eliminating the asexual form in both human blood and the liver, and also blocking transmission to mosquitoes.
The research, led by scientists from Unifesp, UFSCar, and USP, focuses on derivatives of 4-quinolones – compounds already known to science – but demonstrates their action against different stages of Plasmodium, the parasite that causes malaria. According to a study published earlier this month, one compound, identified as “compound 1,” showed the most promising results, effectively working in both the early stages of human infection and within the mosquito.
“A key differential of this compound is its efficacy against Plasmodium vivax, the predominant species in Brazil, which cannot be continuously cultivated in a laboratory setting,” explained Anna Caroline Aguiar, a professor at Unifesp and author of the study. “The discovery was made possible through testing at the Fiocruz in Rondônia, using blood samples from infected patients. The molecule also acts against P. Falciparum, the more aggressive species of the disease.”
Unlike many current medications that focus solely on the blood stage – responsible for the chills and fever associated with malaria – this new compound attacks the Plasmodium parasite on three fronts: in the liver, preventing the disease from establishing itself (prophylaxis); in the blood, eliminating the parasites causing symptoms; and within the mosquito, preventing further transmission. This multi-stage approach represents a more comprehensive strategy for fighting the disease.
“Plasmodium vivax presents a significant research challenge because it cannot be grown in a laboratory, and its dormant forms are challenging to study,” Aguiar noted. “This was the first study to test the 4-quinolone class against the parasite using blood from infected patients. This proves currently unclear whether the compound affects these dormant forms, as the available experimental models are limited.”
The research received support from Fapesp through Thematic Projects and a Young Researcher Grant, as well as partnerships with the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Rondônia, the Tropical Medicine Center in Rondônia, the University of Lisbon in Portugal, and the Federal University of São Carlos. This discovery could significantly impact malaria control efforts, particularly in regions like the Amazon, where the majority of Brazilian cases are concentrated.
