A Unique Antinuclcic Acid Approach to the Mass Screening of Antimalarial Drugs

Abstract

The antimalarial-drug-screening system described herein represents the first practical mass-screening system dealing selectively and reproducibly with parasite-nucleic acids. No complicated separation of cell types or separation of nucleic acid types is necessary. Antinucleic-acid-antimalarial potential can be recognized in 1½ h of experimental time. Structure-activity and dose-response relationships are easily studied. The system can test drugs against both intraerythrocytic and ‘free’ parasites and this use has revealed that certain drugs have antimalarial actions that are mediated through effects upon the host cell membrane. Finally all data can be processed simply by computer analysis therefore making calculations and retrieval of information extremely rapid.