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Parasitic Infection
Overview
Parasitic diseases, such as malaria, leishmaniasis, African trypanosomiasis, and ascariasis, are a serious threat to the health of millions of people around the globe, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. Although existing drugs control these diseases to some extent, the problem of drug resistance and the challenge of drug side effects remain. Therefore, the development of new antiparasitic drugs is urgent. Due to the unique ecological characteristics, most of the natural products of marine origin have novel structures and remarkable biological activities. A large number of studies as well as proved that marine natural products (MNPs) provide an important resource for the development of antimalarial drugs. CD BioSciences, relying on rich marine biological resources and advanced R&D technologies, is committed to searching for and developing highly effective antiparasitic drugs from marine natural products.
Figure 1. Natural marine products as antiprotozoal agents against amitochondrial parasites. (Estrella-Parra E A, et al., 2022)
Classical MNPs and Antiparasitic Activity
- Artemisinin. Artemisinin and its derivatives are the most effective anti-malarial drugs available, with potent killing effects against Plasmodium falciparum. Their mechanism of action involves the generation of free radicals that damage the cell membrane and important proteins of Plasmodium falciparum.
- Halichondrin B. Halichondrin B is derived from sponges and is inhibitory to Plasmodium falciparum, and its antiparasitic mechanism of action is mainly by disrupting microtubule formation and interfering with cell division of the parasite.
- Latrunculin A. Latrunculin A exhibits a significant inhibitory effect on Plasmodium and other parasites by inhibiting actin polymerization and interfering with the cytoskeletal structure of the parasite.
- Aplidine. Aplidine exhibits significant inhibitory effects against Leishmania parasites. Mechanisms include induction of apoptosis and interference with protein synthesis.
What Can We Offer?
- Extraction and Purification
We extract natural products from a wide range of marine organisms such as sponges, algae, marine bacteria, etc., and use advanced isolation and purification techniques to ensure the high purity of the active compounds. In addition, we provide detailed compound identification reports, including chemical structure and purity analysis.
- Preliminary Bioactivity Screening
We use a variety of bioactivity screening methods to evaluate the inhibitory effects of marine natural products on a wide range of parasites, such as malaria parasites, leishmania protozoa, and trypanosomes.
- Mechanism of Action Studies
We use a variety of molecular biology and biochemistry techniques to study the mechanism of action of the screened active compounds, which helps to identify the targets and pathways of action and then reveals the interactions between the compounds and the parasites as well as their biological effects.
- Drug Optimization and Synthesis
Based on the results of preliminary screening and mechanism studies, we provide structure optimization and synthesis services to develop drug candidates with higher activity and better drug properties.
- Preclinical Efficacy and Safety Assessment
We conduct comprehensive preclinical efficacy and safety evaluations, including in vivo efficacy testing, toxicology studies, and pharmacokinetic analyses, to ensure the efficacy and safety of our drug candidates.
Reasons to Choose Us
- Professional technical support. We have a team of experts in biology, chemistry, and pharmacology with rich experience in MNPs research and anti-parasite drug development.
- Advanced equipment and facilities. We are committed to providing our customers with a full range of marine drug development services and detailed reports.
- Customized Services. Our team will design a personalized service plan based on the specific needs of our clients.
Related Services & Products
CD BioSciences has extensive experience and technical support in the application of marine natural products to antiparasitic drug development. We have collaborated with several pharmaceutical companies and research institutions to screen a wide range of promising drug candidates. Please contact us at any time if you are interested in our services or products.
Reference
- Estrella-Parra E A, Arreola R, Álvarez-Sánchez M E, et al. (2022). Natural marine products as antiprotozoal agents against amitochondrial parasites[J]. International Journal for Parasitology: Drugs and Drug Resistance. 19: 40-46.
Please kindly note that our services can only be used to support research purposes (Not for clinical use).