青蒿琥酯皮肤擦剂在小鼠和兔体内的药代动力学研究

将青蒿琥酯溶于苯二甲酸二甲酯,加适量氨酮制成皮肤擦剂。给兔脱毛后,皮肤涂抹此擦剂25mg/kg后,血药浓度达峰时间平均为2 h,峰浓度平均为1.80μg/ml。药物在兔体内平均驻留时间为3.54 h,清除半衰期约为2.46 h。给小鼠脱毛皮肤涂抹擦剂6.7,31.3和71.4 mg/kg,血药浓度在给药后0.5～4 h达高峰,峰浓度分别为0.82,2.05和7.11μg/ml,体内药物平均驻留时间为3.39,2.79及3.54 h,清除半衰期为2.35,1.93及2.45 h。可见,给兔及小鼠皮肤擦剂后,青蒿琥酯吸收良好,血药浓度维持时间较长。     

青蒿琥酯对中暑内毒素血症小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞内CD14和Toll样受体4的影响

目的探讨青蒿琥酯对中暑内毒素血症小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞内CD14和Toll样受体4 (TLR4)表达的影响。方法昆明种小鼠随机分为常温组、高温组、生理盐水组和青蒿琥酯组(均按60 mg/kg连续5 d腹腔注射),常温组在干球温度25℃±0．5℃、相对湿度43%±5%的条件下暴露2 h,其他组在干球温度35℃±0．5℃、相对湿度65%±5%的条件下热暴露,观察不同时间点(1、2 h)小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞内CD14和TLR 4 mRNA的表达及血浆中肿瘤坏死因子α(TNF-α)的含量。结果常温组CD14和TLR 4 mRNA表达分别为0．34%±0．047%和0．31%±0．062%；高温1 h组分别为0．53%±0．085%和0．45%±0．049%,与常温组的差异均有统计学意义(P＜0．01),并在2 h时呈现继续升高的趋势；生理盐水1 h组CD14和TLR4表达升高,但在2h时有轻度下降；青蒿琥酯1 h组CD14和TLR4的表达则分别为0．26%±0．051%和0．25%±0．084%,并在2 h有轻微的下降。各组TNF-α含量的变化呈现出与CD14、TLR 4变化基本一致的趋势。结论青蒿琥酯能明显降低内毒素信号转导通路上CD14和TLR 4的表达,减少TNF-α的产生,这可能是其抗中暑内毒素血症的机制之一。     

青蒿素对ApoE-/-基因敲除小鼠动脉粥样硬化的影响

目的探讨青蒿素对ApoE-/-基因敲除小鼠动脉粥样硬化以及炎症因子的影响。方法将20只ApoE-/-基因敲除小鼠分为青蒿素组和PBS处理组,每组10只,经高脂喂养8周,与对照组小鼠(C57BL/6J标准饮食小鼠,10只)比较,通过血管大体油红O染色评价斑块面积;HE染色观察病变形态及血浆中炎症因子的变化。结果与对照组比较,PBS处理组及青蒿素组均可见动脉硬化斑块,炎症因子水平升高。青蒿素组的动脉硬化程度及炎症因子水平均明显低于PBS处理组。结论青蒿素可以改善ApoE-/-基因敲除小鼠动脉粥样硬化进展。     

Efficacy of oral single dose therapy with artemisinin-naphthoquine phosphate in uncomplicated falciparum malaria

All artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), recommended by the World Health Organization, are 3-day regimens. A considerable level of non-compliance on ACTs has been reported from some countries. The study aimed to assess the therapeutic efficacy of single dose treatment with new generation ACT containing artemisinin plus naphthoquine. An oral single dose of eight tablets (400 mg of naphthoquine + 1000 mg artemisinin) of the combination drug was administered to adult uncomplicated falciparum malaria patients. Observations of fever, parasite clearance and reappearance, and other clinical manifestations were made on Days 0, 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28. Fifty-three adult falciparum positive cases, with fever or history of fever within the previous 24 h, were included in the final evaluation of the study. Mean fever clearance time, parasite clearance time were 18.2 ± 8.6 h and 34.6 ± 14.3 h, respectively. Adequate clinical and parasitological response was achieved in 52 cases, the rate being 98.1% (95% CI, 91.1-99.9). One patient was classified as late parasitological failure because of the reappearance of falciparum parasite on Day 14. The drug was well tolerated and no adverse reactions were detected in the patients. Since it is a single dose therapy, health workers can administer the drug as directly observed treatment.     

Evaluation of Apoptotic and Antileishmanial Activities of Artemisinin on Promastigotes and BALB/C Mice Infected with Leishmania major

Background:

In leishmaniasis, some drugs prescribed for treatment have toxic effects and there are reports about drug resistance in some countries. Due to this fact, using herbal drugs such as artemisinin with good efficacy and low toxic effect might be suitable.

Methods:

We evaluated the apoptotic effect of artemisinin on Leishmania major in vitro and the antileishmanial activities of artemisinin on leishmaniasis in BALB/c mice and at the end INF-γ and IL-4 cytokines levels were detected by ELISA in spleen cell culture supernatants. During treatment the lesion size and survival rate were measured each four and ten days, respectively.

Results:

Percentage of early and late apoptosis in promastigotes of control group and promastigotes treated with 10, 25, 50 and 100 μg/ml of artemisinin after 48 h were 0.13, 16.04, 41.23, 49.03 and 81.83, respectively. The IFN-γ in ointment treated group were higher than those of other groups (P<0.05). The in vivo results showed that ointment compounds healed the lesions more effectively rather than intraperitoneal injection method (P<0.05). The survival rate of mice 150 days after challenge in treated group with ointment of artemisinin was 66% while all mice in control groups were died.

Conclusion:

All of in vitro results represented that this drug had antileishmanial effects and these results were confirmed by evaluation effects in vivo condition of leishmaniasis. Interestingly, according to these results it can be concluded that this drug has antileishmanial effects in vitro and in vivo conditions. Artemisinin induces cytotoxic effect on L. major via apoptosis-related mechanism.     

Preparation and in vivo evaluation of anti-plasmodial properties of artemisinin-loaded PCL–PEG–PCL nanoparticles

Abstract

Purpose: Artemisinin (ART) has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-amyloid, and anti-malarial effects, but its application is limited due to its low water solubility and poor oral bioavailability. In this study, the bioavailability, water solubility, and anti-plasmodial property of ART were improved by PCL–PEG–PCL tri-block copolymers.

Methods: The structure of the copolymers was characterized by ¹H NMR, FT-IR, DSC, and GPC techniques. ART was encapsulated within micelles by a single-step nano-precipitation method, leading to the formation of ART-loaded PCL–PEG–PCL micelles. The obtained micelles were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The in vivo anti-plasmodial activity of ART-loaded micelles was measured against Plasmodium berghei infected Swiss albino mice.

Results: The results showed that the zeta potential of ART-loaded micelles was about ?8.37?mV and the average size was 91.87?nm. ART was encapsulated into PCL–PEG–PCL micelles with a loading capacity of 19.33?±?0.015% and encapsulation efficacy of 87.21?±?3.32%. In vivo anti-plasmodial results against P. berghei showed that multiple injections of ART-loaded micelles could prolong the circulation time and increase the therapeutic efficacy of ART.

Conclusion: These results suggested that PCL–PEG–PCL micelles would be a potential carrier for ART for the treatment of malaria.     

Access to artemisinin-based combination therapies and other anti-malarial drugs in Kinshasa

Objective

Artemisinin-based combination therapies have been available since 2005 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to treat malaria and to overcome the challenge of anti-malarial drug resistance as well as to improve access to effective treatments. The private sector is the primary distribution source for anti-malarial drugs and thus, has a key position among the supply chain actors for a rational and proper use of anti-malarial drugs. We aimed to assess access to nationally recommended anti-malarial drugs in private sector pharmacies of the capital-city of Kinshasa.

青蒿素类抗疟药的作用机制及耐药机制研究进展

青蒿素作为重要的抗疟药物,因其抗疟作用效率高、速度快、毒性低并且与大部分其他类别的抗疟药无交叉抗性等优点,成为目前全球抗疟的主要药物,虽然在泰柬边境地区已出现了青蒿素耐药性,但就目前全球各．地使用青蒿素及其衍生物为基础的联合疗法（ACT）疗效来看仍能达到90％以上,因此必须对刚刚出现的青蒿素耐药性现象迅速采取遏制行动。本文主要通过描述青蒿素的抗疟机制,讨论其耐药性机制,以及对青蒿素的发展前景作一综述。     

3种青蒿素衍生物对日本血吸虫吡喹酮抗性株童虫的体内作用效果观察

目的观察3种青蒿素衍生物双氢青蒿素、青蒿琥酯和蒿甲醚对日本血吸虫吡喹酮抗性株童虫的体内作用效果。方法以经11轮亚治疗剂量吡喹酮筛选的日本血吸虫为吡喹酮抗性株,以未暴露于吡喹酮的日本血吸虫作为吡喹酮敏感株,收集2虫株尾蚴感染小鼠,以300mg/kg双氢青蒿素、青蒿琥酯和蒿甲醚对感染后7~8 d童虫分别进行2次灌服用药(总剂量600 mg/kg),所有小鼠于感染后45 d解剖,收集小鼠体内成虫并计数,计算减虫率和减雌率。结果 300 mg/kg双氢青蒿素、蒿甲醚和青蒿琥酯2日疗法(总剂量600 mg/kg)对日本血吸虫吡喹酮敏感株7~8 d童虫的减虫率为69.8%~71.0%,减雌率为75.4%~79.8%;对日本血吸虫吡喹酮抗性株7~8 d童虫的减虫率为64.6%~66.1%,减雌率为69.3%~71.1%,差异均无统计学意义(均p0.05)。结论 日本血吸虫吡喹酮抗性株对青蒿素类衍生物双氢青蒿素、青蒿琥酯和蒿甲醚依然敏感,青蒿素衍生物与吡喹酮在日本血吸虫中不存在交叉抗药性。