Chronic inhalation of crystalline silica is an occupational hazard that results in silicosis due to the toxicity of silica particles to lung cells It is thus surprising to read that silica nanoparticles are extensively applied for drug delivery Silica particles are used as conveyors of drugs with low bioavailability. Even for artemether. Jaywant N.Pawara Harita R.Desaia Kailas Exploring the potential of porous silicas as a carrier system for dissolution rate enhancement of artemether. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 2016. 11,...

MIM was established in 1997 with a mission to strengthen the capacity of malaria-endemic countries in Africa to carry out research that is required to develop and improve tools for malaria control. It is thus surprising that none of the recent clinical trials carried out in several African countries by African doctors and universities, with Artemisia plants, which not only give cure rates close to 100%, eliminate gametocytes and transmission but also show stronger prophylactic properties than current antimalarial vaccines, that none of...

But treatment failures and first signs of resistance to artemisinin soon become evident like in China with arteannuin B and artemisin monotherapy. It was due to a novel effect: a small fraction of the parasites, as a result of chemotherapeutic pressure, become ‘dormant’. Indeed, it was common to administer very high doses up to 1 200 mg/person/day. At this stage, the parasite cycle is halted, making the parasites unsusceptible to further dosing until wakening. This slows down the antimalarial activity of the drug, entailing either many...

The Plasmodium parasite needs cholesterol for survival and multiplication. This fact was well documented in a WHO document in 1977 and in subsequent papers George G. Holz, Jr. Lipids and the malarial parasite. Bull World Health Organ. 1977; 55(2-3): 237–248 Krishnegowda G, Gowda DC Intraerythrocytic Plasmodium falciparum incorporates extraneous fatty acids to its lipids without any structural modification. Mol Biochem Parasitol. 2003 Nov;132(1):55-8. Moll GN, Vial HJ, Ancelin ML, Op den Kamp JA, Roelofsen B, van Deenen L....

Inulins and polysaccharides: immunostimulants and adjuvants. Host defense functions are responsive to diet composition. It is known since many years that inulin and oligofructose increase resistance to health challenges. Kelly-Quagliana, K.A., Nelson, P.D., Buddington, R.K. Dietary oligofructose and inulin modulate immune functions in mice. Nutr Res. 2003;23:257–267 The bioavailability of drugs with low aqueous solubility may be enhanced by inulin. Inulin has been used to produce solid dispersions or tablets of various poorly soluble...