Flower-Like Copper Sulfide Nanocrystals are Highly Effective Against Chloroquine-Resistant Plasmodium falciparum and the Malaria Vector Anopheles stephensi

Abstract

Anopheles stephensi is a mosquito of outstanding public health relevance, acting as a major vector of malaria in a number of tropical and subtropical areas worldwide. In recent years, important efforts have been conducted to propose nano-formulated larvicides as valuable alternatives to synthetic insecticides currently marketed. In the present study, the toxicity of flower-like copper sulfide (CuS) nanocrystals has been investigated on the malaria vector A. stephensi and Plasmodium parasites. Characterization of synthesized CuS nanocrystals was carried out using FTIR spectroscopy, XRD analysis, FESEM, HR-TEM and EDS. In mosquitocidal assays, LC 50 values ranged from 23.347 ppm (first-instar larvae) to 48.789 ppm (pupae). In vitro anti-plasmodial activity of CuS nanoflowers was evaluated against chloroquine-resistant (CQ-r) and CQ-sensitive (CQ-s) strains of Plasmodium falciparum. IC 50 were 83.44 μg/mL (CQ-s) and 87.15 μg/mL (CQ-r). However, in vivo antiplasmodial experiments conducted on Plasmodium berghei infecting albino mice showed limited activity of CuS nanocrystals, if compared to CQ. Overall, our findings showed that chemically synthesized flower-like CuS nanocrystals are promising to improve the effectiveness of mosquito control programs, as well as to develop novel antiplasmodial drugs.

Synthesis of new series of quinoline derivatives with insecticidal effects on larval vectors of malaria and dengue diseases

“…3 ). After 4 days of 4,7-dichloroquinoline treated groups exhibited the percentage of parasitemia 10.6 ± 0.8% at 300 mg/kg/day than that of the control drug chloroquine (CQ) 1.0 ± 0.0% 37 , 66 . Tang et al 67 showed antimalarial activities against the P. falciparum strain K173 with EC 50 values ranging from 0.38 to 0.43 mg/kg.…”

Assessment of Nano-Formulated Conventional Insecticide-Treated Sugar Baits on Mosquito Control and the Effect on Non-Target Aphidophagous Coccinella septempunctata

“…Nanotechnology has shown promise in creating insecticides with less environmental impact to bridge this gap [20][21][22][23]. The medical and veterinary sciences [24] and entomology [25] are only two examples of the many areas of study that have benefited from nano-technology in recent years. Nano-pesticides have the potential to encompass a wide variety of pesticide formulations that have proven helpful as carriers of potent pesticides over the past decade [26].…”