In vitro antimalarial activity of tigecycline against Plasmodium falciparum culture-adapted reference strains and clinical isolates from the Brazilian Amazon

• Main Authors: Daniele Ribatski-Silva, Carmen Lucia Bassi, Thamires Oliveira Gasquez Martin, Eduardo Alves-Junior, Luciano Teixeira Gomes, Cor Jésus Fernandes Fontes
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2014-01-01
• Series: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Subjects: Plasmodium falciparum; In vitro susceptibility; Tigecycline
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0037-86822014000100110&lng=en&tlng=en

Introduction: We evaluated the in vitro antimalarial activity of tigecycline as an alternative drug for the treatment of severe malaria. Methods: A chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium falciparum reference strain, a chloroquine-resistant reference strain, and three clinical isolates were tested for in vitro susceptibility to tigecycline. A histidine-rich protein in vitro assay was used to evaluate antimalarial activity. Results: The geometric-mean 50% effective concentration (EC50%) of tigecycline was 535.5 nM (confidence interval (CI): 344.3-726.8). No significant correlation was found between the EC50% of tigecycline and that of any other tested antimalarial drug. Conclusions: Tigecycline may represent an alternative drug for the treatment of patients with severe malaria.