Researchers investigate leaf extract as an effective anti-malarial medicine

King’s College London
Plant-derived agent shows promise in the treatment of malaria.
Malaria is caused by the parasite Plasmodium which is transferred to humans by mosquitos feeding on blood. Plasmodium has evolved to evade the human immune system and survive and replicate inside the body.
One of these immune evasion mechanisms involves the activation of a particular protein called TGFbeta as soon as the parasite enters the blood. TGFbeta then switches the immune system from killing infected cells to killing bacteria; one way that the parasite can survive within the host environment.
Vernonia Amygdalina is a species of plant found predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa, using medicinally by local communities for a variety of diseases, including malaria. Research by Dr Richard Beatson from the School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences is working to identify the active agent.

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