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Planta Med 2014; 80(05): 378-386
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1368168
Reviews
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Aspidosperma Species as Sources of Antimalarials. Part III. A Review of Traditional Use and Antimalarial Activity[*]

Renata Cristina de Paula   **
1   Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
,
Maria Fâni Dolabela   **
2   Departamento de Farmácia, ICS, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
,
Alaíde Braga de Oliveira   **
1   Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 18 August 2013
revised 10 January 2014

accepted 11 January 2014

Publication Date:
03 March 2014 (online)

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Abstract

Several plant species belonging to the genus Aspidosperma are traditionally used in Brazil and other Meso- and South American countries for the treatment of malaria and fevers. These traditional uses were motivation for this review. A literature survey completed for this review has identified scientific bibliographical references to the use of 24 Aspidosperma species to treat malaria/fevers and to 19 species that have had their extracts and/or alkaloids evaluated, with good results, for in vitro and/or in vivo antimalarial activity. Indole alkaloids are typical constituents of Aspidosperma species. However, only 20 out of more than 200 known indole alkaloids isolated from this genus have been assayed for antimalarial activity. These data support the potential of Aspidosperma species as sources of antimalarials and the importance of research aimed at validating their use in the treatment of human malaria.

Key words

Aspidosperma spp. - Apocynaceae - malaria - Plasmodium falciparum - antimalarial activity

* For Part I see [48], for Part II see [36]. Part of RCP Doctorate Thesis at PPGCF, UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.


** All authors contributed equally to this article.


 

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