Attenuation of Chloroquine‐Induced Renal Damage by α‐Lipoic Acid: Possible Antioxidant Mechanism

The toxic effect of chloroquine (CQ) has been attributed to oxidative stress with the consequences of lipid peroxidation. This study investigates the effects of α‐lipoic acid (LA) on CQ‐induced nephrotoxicity in rats. A single oral administration of CQ (970 mg/kg)‐induced nephrotoxicity, manifested biochemically by a significant increase in serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen concentrations. In addition, renal tissue from CQ‐treated rats showed a significant increase in lipid peroxides measured as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and hydroperoxides, along with significant decrease in nonenzymic antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E, and reduced glutathione) and enzymic antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione‐S‐transferase) levels. Oral administration of LA (10, 30, or 100 mg/kg) in different doses for 10 days produced a significant protection against nephrotoxicity induced by CQ. Treatment with LA markedly reduced the elevated lipid peroxidation, restored the depleted renal antioxidant defense system. LA at 100 mg /kg was effective when compared with other doses (10 and 30 mg/kg). This was accompanied by the histopathological observations in kidney tissue. The results suggest that LA ameliorate the lipid peroxidation and the loss of cellular antioxidants, thereby protecting the CQ‐induced oxidative damage in kidney.     

The Potential of β Carbolin Alkaloids to Hinder Growth and Reverse Chloroquine Resistance in Plasmodium falciparum

Background:

Nowadays, scourge of malaria as a fatalistic disease has increased due to emergence of drug resistance and tolerance among different strains of Plasmodium falciparum. Emergence of chloroquine (CQ) resistance has worsened the calamity as CQ is still considered the most efficient, safe and cost effective drug among other antimalarials. This urged the scientists to search for other alternatives or sensitizers that may be able to augment CQ action and reverse its resistance.

Method:

Three β-carbolin derivatives, namely, harmalin, harmol and harmalol were tested for their anti-plasmodial and CQ resistance reversal effects against P. falciparum 3D7 and K1. SYBRE Green-1 based drug sensitivity assay and isobologram analysis were used to screen the mentioned effects respectively.

Results:

All of them showed moderate anti-plasmodium effect and harmalin was the most effective as compared to the others in reversing CQ resistance and tolerance.

Conclusion:

The mentioned phytochemicals are not ideal to be used as conventional antimalarials and only harmalin can be suggested to reverse CQ resistance in P. falciparum K1.     

Monitoring Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance in Yunnan Province, China, 1981-2006

The emergence and spread of drug resistant malaria parasites are an important factor contributing to the global resurgence of malaria, demonstrating the essence of drug resistance surveillance in endemic areas. In the malarious border regions of Yunnan Province, China, we have selected three study sites to monitor in vitro and in vivo resistance of Plasmodium falciparum parasites to chloroquine (CQ) from 1981 to 2006. In vitro studies using the microtest clearly showed high degree of CQ resistance in the early 1980s, when CQ was replaced by artemether monotherapy for falciparum malaria. In subsequent in vitro surveys performed in the early 1990s and 2003-2004, we found reductions in both the concentrations inhibiting 50% parasite growth (IC₅₀s) and the percentage of resistant parasites at all study sites, although the degrees of the reduction varied among sites. Even though amodiaquine has never been used in this area, there were consistently high levels of resistance to this drug, confirming crossresistance between CQ and amodiaquine. In vivo clinical studies were consistent with the results of the in vitro assays. The overall rate of resistant clinical cases decreased from 97% in 1981-1983 to 40% in 2005-2006. Collectively, whereas a general trend of reduction in CQ resistance was observed in Yunnan, variations among sites existed in this relatively small area, probably as the result of both geographical heterogeneity of malaria epidemiology in Yunnan and different levels of CQ resistance in neighboring countries.     

Dual function of sialic acid in gastrointestinal SARS-CoV-2 infection

Recent analysis concerning the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)- angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) receptor interaction in enterocytes, the definition of gut-lung axis, as well as the molecular basis of sialic acid-related dual recognition concept in gastrointestinal SARS-CoV-2 infection, have brought a new perspective to potential therapeutic targets. In this review evolving research and clinical data on gastrointestinal SARS-CoV-2 infection are discussed in the context of viral fusion and entry mechanisms, focusing on the different triggers used by coronaviruses. Furthermore, it is emphasized that the viral spike protein is prevented from binding gangliosides, which are composed of a glycosphingolipid with one or more sialic acids, in the presence of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine. In gastrointestinal SARS-CoV-2 infection the efficiency of these repositioned drugs is debated.     

2012年和2018年我国输入性恶性疟原虫氯喹抗性基因多态性分析

目的对2012年和2018年我国输入性恶性疟原虫样本氯喹抗性分子标记位点基因多态性进行检测,分析恶性疟原虫氯喹抗性转运蛋白基因(Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine re sistant transporter,Pfcrt)第72~76位密码子抗性相关位点突变类型,并分析不同输入来源样本的特异性。方法收集2012年和2018年国家疟疾诊断参比实验室674例输入性恶性疟病例滤纸血样本,以样本中恶性疟原虫7号染色体上Pfcrt基因第72~76位点为扩增片段,采用巢式PCR法进行扩增并测序,对目的产物片段测序结果、地理分布等特征进行统计分析。结果2012年和2018年我国674例输入性恶性疟病例中,95.5%(644/674)来自非洲,其余4.5%(30/674)来自东南亚和大洋洲(巴布亚新几内亚);非洲又以西非和中非为主(占非洲样本的80.4%,518/644)。共检测到C72S、M74I、N75E、K76T 4个位点突变和5种单体型类型(CVMNK、CVIET、SVMNT和两种混合型),其中CVMNK与CVIET为非洲和东南亚地区恶性疟原虫共有的单体型类型,SVMNT仅在东南亚(缅甸)和巴布亚新几内亚输入样本中检测出;2种混合型为CVMNK/CVIET和CVMNK/SVMNT,前者在非洲和东南亚输入样本中分布,后者仅在东南亚缅甸来源样本中检出。自非洲输入的样本野生型较多,占77.7%(478/615);而自东南亚和巴布亚新几内亚输入的样本中,抗性分子标记样本占68.0%(17/25),两者差异有统计学意义(χ^2=28.5,P<0.05)。非洲不同地区来源样本中,抗性基因比例和野生型构成差异有统计学意义(P<0.01),西非野生型所占比例最低。结论2012年和2018年我国674例输入性恶性疟病例样本中,自东南亚输入的恶性疟原虫Pfcrt基因第72~76位点抗性基因比例和分子多态性均较非洲来源样本高。     

应对新型冠状病毒肺炎,我们能从SARS中得到哪些借鉴

目前对于新型冠状病毒肺炎(简称:新冠肺炎)的病程机制和治疗方法的选择等方面仍有许多未知之处。由于2019-nCoV和SARS-CoV之间的高度相似性,从严重急性呼吸综合征(severe acute respiratory syndrome,SARS)中获得的一些知识经验,尤其是患者肺部病毒复制和免疫应答的时间规律和病程的演变特征,或许能对我们深入了解和应对新冠肺炎提供重要的借鉴。     

Calcitriol-Mediated Hypercalcaemia and Increased Interleukins in a Patient with Sarcoid Myopathy

In this report we describe a patient with Sjo¨gren’s syndrome (SS) and calcitriol-mediated hypercalcaemia. Initially, there was no clinical evidence of sarcoidosis. The patient had hypercalcaemia associated with increased calcitriol serum levels; circulating interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor alpha levels were also elevated. At the beginning, therapy with clodronate was effective in decreasing the serum calcium levels. However, the serum calcitriol decreased only after chloroquine treatment was added. After 2 years of therapy, the patient developed progressive and extensive muscle weakness. A muscle biopsy revealed a very prominent non-caseating granulomatous myopathy. Corticosteroid therapy was then instituted. Although both chloroquine and corticosteroid therapy were associated with decreased serum interleukin and calcitriol levels, only corticosteroid therapy was effective in treating the sarcoid myopathy. The role of cytokines in calcitriol mediated hypercalcaemia is discussed. Received: 1 February 1999 / Accepted: 2 June 1999     

Sensitivity of Plasmodium vivax to chloroquine in Sa Kaeo Province,Thailand

Following a recent, abrupt local increase in the incidence of vivax malaria, a study was conducted in order to evaluate the efficacy of chloroquine for the treatment of 26 adult patients with acute vivax malaria in Sa Kaeo Province, Thailand. The chloroquine sensitivity of Plasmodium vivax has been assessed in parallel, using a growth inhibition method. Blood samples for the in vitro tests were taken prior to the administration of the standard treatment with chloroquine--in total 25 mg base/kg over 3 days--and primaquine 0.25 mg base/kg once daily for 14 days. The efficacy has been assessed according to the WHO standard in vivo test. The cure rate was 100%. No recrudescence was observed during the follow-up period of 28 days. The mean fever clearance time (FCT) was 40 h, the mean parasite clearance time (PCT) was 49 h. Mean IC(50) and IC(90) of the parasites were 28 and 171 nM, respectively. These results show that local P. vivax is still sensitive to chloroquine. The epidemic outbreak was therefore obviously not due to the presence of chloroquine-resistant P. vivax.