Stage-specific gametocytocidal effect in vitro of the antimalaria drug qinghaosu onPlasmodium falciparum

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Abstract
Qinghaosu, an anti-malaria drug, has been found to kill not only asexual blood stages but also the early stages of gametocytes ofPlasmodium falciparum. The effect of qinghaosu in vitro depends on the concentration of the drug as well as on the initial parasitemia level (IC50=10–20 nM with 1% initial parasitemia). Resistance ofP. falciparum to other anti-malaria drugs, e.g., chloroquine and pyrimethamine, did not affect susceptibility of its asexual and sexual stages to qinghaosu. Gametocytocidal effect of qinghaosu may play a role in the interruption of malaria transmission.