Indian journal of malariology最新文献

The derivation of important antimalarial compounds started with the discovery of Cinchona bark powder with wine. Subsequently, post World War-I was a period of intensive work in maintaining such ethnobotanical records, in which the use of quinine has remained the drug of choice in malaria. After World War-II new chemical techniques were used to fractionate and isolate, and also for structure determinations, which led to an ever increasing number of potential antiplasmodial compounds. Recently experimental studies in animals and in clinical trials, showed the emergence of CQ-sensitive and CQ-resistant strains of Plasmodium. This paper is an attempt to update a historical list of antimalarial plants and their natural products as studied by pharmacognostic extraction methods of crude drug research of those times. Further an attempt has been undertaken to list the compounds as classified into three major groups, namely alkaloids, terpenes and quassinoids and aromatic and miscellaneous compounds. The most promising is a quassinoid, artemisinin derived from Artemisia annua which has caused a resurgence for the quest of newer antimalarial compounds.

A study on the bionomics of Anopheles fluviatilis sensu lato was carried out in two physiographic regions, viz. Bhabar and Terai of District Nainital, Uttar Pradesh. In both areas, An. fluviatilis was found resting indoors predominantly in cattlesheds. Cytological examination of An. fluviatilis revealed that species T and U were sympatric in Bhabar and Terai villages with predominance of species T. These two sibling species appear to be poor vectors of malaria.

Sixty cases of P. falciparum and 165 cases of P. vivax were studied clinically along with species identification of parasite after examination of the blood slide by experts at Calcutta. It was observed that malaria had been changing its clinical profile. The classic paroxysm is evident only in 40% cases of P. falciparum and 47.27% of P. vivax malaria, but the difference between the two groups is not statistically significant. On the other hand continuous or remittent type of fever has been observed in 40% and 27.27% cases of P. falciparum and P. vivax respectively, while absence of classic paroxysms of fever, in association with splenomegaly when present, poses a diagnostic difficulty with enteric fever. Association of jaundice in 40% and 9.09% cases with P. falciparum and P. vivax respectively along with hepatomegaly in 80% and 63.63% in them in conjunction with nausea and/or vomiting leads to clinical mimicry with infective hepatitis. Splenomegaly which has been described as cardinal feature of malaria was observed in 40% cases with P. falciparum and only in 18.18% cases of P. vivax malaria and this is a clear deviation from earlier description and this difference between the two groups is highly significant at 99% level of confidence. Co-existent enteric fever was observed in 3.33% of falciparum and 2.6% of vivax malaria, though this difference is not statistically significant. Acute respiratory distress was observed in 6.6% of P. falciparum malaria only. Oliguria with impaired renal function was noted in 5% cases of P. falciparum malaria. The present study has also noted convulsion or coma in 8.33%, purpura with disseminated intravascular coagulation in 3.33% and black water fever in 3.33% cases in falciparum malaria which were not observed in cases with vivax malaria and these differences are statistically significant. However, stupor with bilateral extensor planter response was observed in two cases (1.3%) of vivax malaria.

A study on the occurrence and seasonal prevalence of Anopheles stephensi (principal vector of malaria in Calcutta) larvae in an urban garden in central Calcutta revealed their presence in collections of fresh and/or rain water in various kinds of temporary and permanent breeding habitats. Breeding sites in shady areas were preferred in comparison to those receiving direct sunlight. The density of An. stephensi larvae was highest in earthen and lowest in wooden pots throughout the study period, as supported by ANOVA and Wilcoxon's signed rank test. During monsoons the larval density was uniformly high in all four, i.e. earthen, stone, cement and wooden kinds of pots. The variation in the density of An. stephensi larvae due to the effect of season and nature of pots was highly significant. Co-existence of An. stephensi larvae with Aedes aegypti, Ae. albopictus and Cx. quinquefasciatus was also observed at times in certain water collections. An. stephensi population in the urban garden in central Calcutta was found to comprise of two forms the type and variety mysorensis.

Rice agro-ecosystem of Kheda district in Central Gujarat was inhabited by 14 species of anophelines and 15 species of culicines. Anopheles subpictus and Culex vishnui gr dominated the respective groups. Species diversity in rice fields as well as in associated habitats remained high during non-monsoon (rabi) period. There existed several positive and negative interspecific associations. Malaria vector An. culicifacies showed positive association with An. subpictus, An. annularis, An. pallidus and Cx. quinquefasciatus but was found negatively associated with An. nigerrimus, Cx. vishnui and Cx. tritaeniorhynchus.

A total of 1119 Anopheles culicifacies mosquitoes collected from various malaria endemic regions in Sri Lanka were examined using two DNA probes Rp217 and Rp234, which enable the differentiation of sibling species A from B and C species of An. culicifacies. Sibling species A was found to be absent.

Neem oil-water emulsion was used in mosquito breeding habitats to find out its larvicidal effect on immatures of different mosquito species. Application of 5% neem oil-water emulsion @ 50 ml/sq m in pools and @ 100 ml/sq m in tanks resulted in 100% reduction of III and IV instar larvae of An. stephensi after 24 h while, against Cx. quinquefasciatus it was 51.6 and 91.2% reduction in the larval density after Day 1 and 14 respectively. Similarly, application of 10% emulsion in desert coolers against Aedes aegypti @ 40 to 80 ml per cooler resulted in complete inhibition of pupal production.