Prevention of sporogony of Plasmodium vivax in Anopheles albimanus by steroids of Solanum nudum Dunal (Solanaceae)

The sporontocidal activity of three steroids (SN‐1, SN‐2 and SN‐4) from Solanum nudum Dunal (Solanaceae) was determined against naturally circulating isolates of Plasmodium vivax in Anopheles albimanus. Laboratory‐reared Anopheles albimanus mosquitoes were infected with P. vivax from gametocytemic blood of volunteers resident in Buenaventura, Valle del Cauca (Colombian Pacific Coast) by using an artificial membrane feeder. Prior to mosquito feeding, gametocytemic blood was centrifuged, plasma was separated, packed blood red cells were washed with RPMI 1640 and then resuspended in non‐immune AB serum, then the steroids were added at different doses. On day 7 after infection, the presence and number of oocysts in mosquitoes was determined. The steroid SN‐2 reduced the infection of mosquitoes by 90% and the mean number of oocysts by 60%. These data confirmed that the experimental steroid is capable of interrupting the sporogonic development of P. vivax in Anopheles albimanus. This experimental steroid has potential for transmission blocking in vivax malaria. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.