Abstract

Potent antimalarial activity of the alkaloid nitidine, isolated from a Kenyan herbal remedy

Gakunju, D. M. Mberu, E. K. Dossaji, S. F. Gray, A. I. Waigh, R. D. Waterman, P. G. Watkins, W. M.
Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1995; 392606-9

Permanent descriptor

https://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.39.12.2606

Bioassay-guided fractionation of extracts of Toddalia asiatica, a plant used by the Pokot tribe of Kenya to treat fevers, has yielded the alkaloid nitidine as the major antimalarial component. Fractions containing nitidine have in vitro 50% inhibitory concentrations against Plasmodium falciparum in the range of 9 to 108 ng/ml for a range of chloroquine-susceptible and -resistant strains. The results show a lack of cross-resistance between chloroquine and nitidine.