Simalikalactone D is responsible for the antimalarial properties of an Amazonian traditional remedy made with Quassia amara L. (Simaroubaceae)

Stephane Bertani (1) , Emeline Houel (2) , Didier Stien (2) , Lionel Chevolot (3) , Valérie Jullian (4) , Giovanni Garavito (5) , Geneviève Bourdy (6) , Eric Deharo (4)

1 Parasitologie Comparée et Modèles Expérimentaux
2 ECOFOG - Ecologie des forêts de Guyane
3 UCG - UPS CNRS Guyane
4 Pharmacochimie des substances naturelles et pharmacophores redox
5 Departamento de farmacia, Facultad de ciencas
6 Faculté des Sciences Pharmaceutiques

French Guiana (North-East Amazonia) records high malaria incidence rates. The traditional antimalarial remedy most widespread there is a simple tea made out from Quassia amara L. leaves (Simaroubaceae). This herbal tea displays an excellent antimalarial activity both in vitro and in vivo. A known quassinoid, simalikalactone D (SkD), was identified as the active compound, with an IC50 value of 10nM against FcB1 Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistant strain in vitro. Lastly, it inhibits 50% of Plasmodium yoelii yoelii rodent malaria parasite at 3.7 mg/kg/day in vivo by oral route. These findings confirm the traditional use of this herbal tea.

Mots clés: Antimalarial; Quassia amara; Quassinoids; Simalikalactone D; Traditional medicine

Domaines: Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]

Stephane Bertani, Emeline Houel, Didier Stien, Lionel Chevolot, Valérie Jullian, et al.. Simalikalactone D is responsible for the antimalarial properties of an Amazonian traditional remedy made with Quassia amara L. (Simaroubaceae). Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2007, 108, pp.155-157. ⟨10.1016/j.jep.2006.04.017⟩. ⟨hal-00384337⟩