Affiliation:
1. Undergraduate Programme, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India
2. Department of Biochemistry, Bharathidasan
University, Tiruchirapalli, TN, India
Abstract
Background:
Antimalarial prescription remains a challenge in pregnant women because of
maternal and fetal complications. Recently, garlic and α-β-arteether combination treatment in malariainfected
mice conferred protection. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of these drugs
during malaria in pregnancy and its safety measures.
Objective:
The study evaluates the efficacy of arteether and garlic combination drugs in protection
against malaria-infected pregnant mice.
Methods:
Plasmodium berghei-infected pregnant mouse model was used to assess the combination
drug efficacy and the outcome of abnormalities of the disease after drug treatment. After optimizing
the dose and gestation period, maternal protection was confirmed by parasite clearance in smear and
mortality observation. In addition, maternal hematological parameters, different organ histopathology,
and IgG levels were documented along with the fetal and infant outcomes.
Results:
Arteether monotherapy resulted in spontaneous fetal abortion or resorption, while dosage
optimization and garlic combination resulted in pregnancy completion and malaria protection. The
derangements observed in the histoarchitecture of organs and hematological parameters caused by
malaria infection revealed improvement after drug treatment, and the smear observation confirms the
clearance of malaria parasite in the peripheral blood, but IgG level was maintained at the same higher
level as in malaria-infected mice.
Conclusions:
The first report of an arteether and garlic combination demonstrating high efficacy in
protecting against malaria-infected pregnant mice establishes its safety as a viable possible treatment
for pregnancy-associated malaria.
Funder
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India
Publisher
Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
Subject
Microbiology (medical),Pharmacology,Molecular Medicine,General Medicine
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