Retarded development of exoerythrocytic stages of the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei in human hepatoma cells by extracts from dioncophyllaceae and ancistrocladaceae species

Retarded development of exoerythrocytic stages of the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei in human hepatoma cells by extracts from Dioncophyllaceae and Ancistrocladaceae species. International Journal for Parasitology 27: 29–32. Naphthylisoquinoline alkaloid-containing extracts (10 μg ml −1) of species belonging to the Dioncophyllaceae and the Ancistrocladaceae, 2 small tropical plant families, display pronounced in vitro activities against exoerythrocytic stages of Plasmodium berghei (Anka), developing in human hepatoma cells (Hep G2). The highest activities were obtained with CH 2Cl 2 root and bark extracts, and a CH 2Cl 2 NH 3 leaf extract from Triphyophyllum peltatum, a CH 2Cl 2 NH 3 root extract from Ancistrocladus abbreviatus, and a CH 2Cl 2 leaf extract from A. tectorius. The degrees of growth inhibition ranged within 27.7–70.0%. The commercially available drug primaquine diphosphate (25 μg ml −1) caused a comparable effect (62.1%) in the same test system.