Verapamil foi ensaiado quanto ao efeito modulador em isolados brasileiros de Plasmodium falciparum resistentes à cloroquina. Outros agentes cardiovasculares, considerados como moduladores da resistência em malária e/ou em neoplasias multiresistentes a fármacos, como nifedipino, nitrendipino, diltiazem e propranolol foram ensaiados quanto ao mesmo efeito. Concentrações semelhantes às da terapia cardiovascular foram empregadas no ensaio de microtécnica de sensibilidade para fármacos antimaláricos. Atividade antiplasmódica intrínsica foi observada desde as menores concentrações, sem, entretanto, ocorrência de modulação significativa da resistência. Sob as mesmas condições experimentais, respostas semelhantes foram observadas para outros agentes moduladores conhecidos como o antipsicótico trifluoperazina e os antidepressivos desipramina e imipramina. Em conjunto, estes resultados sugerem alta sensibilidade e comportamento indiferente de cepas brasileiras ao efeito de agentes moduladores da resistência.

Verapamil, was assayed to record its modulating effect upon Brazilian Plasmodium falciparum isolates resistant to chloroquine. Other cardiovascular drugs known to be modulating agents in resistant malaria and/or multidrug-resistant neoplasias, including nifedipine, nitrendipine, diltiazem and propranolol, were also evaluated. Concentrations similar to those for cardiovascular therapy were used in the in vitro microtechnique for antimalarial drug susceptibility. Intrinsic antiplasmodial activity was observed from the lowest concentrations without a significant modulating action. Other reported modulating agents, such as the antipsychotic drug trifluoperazine and the antidepressants desipramine and imipramine, demonstrated similar responses under the same experimental conditions. Results suggest a much higher susceptibility of Brazilian strains, as well as an indifferent behaviour in relation to modulating agents.

Phenothiazine drugs - fluphenazine, chlorpromazine, methotrimeprazine and trifluoperazine - were evaluated as modulating agents against Brazilian chloroquine-resistant fresh isolates of Plasmodium falciparum. Aiming to simulate therapeutic schedules, chloroquine was employed at the concentration used for sensitive falciparum malaria treatment and anti-psychotic therapeutic concentrations of the phenothiazine drugs were adopted in two-fold serial dilutions. The in vitro microtechnique for drug susceptibility was employed. Unlike earlier reported data, the phenothiazine modulating effect was not observed. However, all the drugs demonstrated intrinsic antiplasmodial activity in concentrations lower than those described in the literature. In addition, IC50 estimates have been shown to be inferior to the usual anti-psychotic therapeutic concentrations. Statistical analysis also suggested an increase in the parasitaemia rate or, even, a predominant antiparasitic effect of phenothiazine over chloroquine when used in combination.

A eritromicina, agente reversor em neoplasias multi-resistentes, foi ensaiada na modulação de malária resistente à cloroquina. Empregou-se a técnica in vitro do microteste de sensibilidade em dois isolados sanguíneos frescos de Plasmodium falciparum oriundos da região Norte do Brasil. Confirmou-se o efeito antimalárico do antibiótico, o qual apresentou valores estimados de IC50 próximos à concentração usualmente empregada na terapia antimicrobiana. No entanto, efeito modulador estatisticamente significativo foi observado em apenas um dos isolados ensaiados.

Erythromycin, a reversal agent in multidrug-resistant cancer, was assayed in chloroquine resistance modulation. The in vitro microtechnique for drug susceptibility was employed using two freshly isolates of Plasmodium falciparum from North of Brazil. The antimalarial effect of the drug was confirmed, with an IC50 estimates near the usual antimicrobial therapy concentration, and a significant statistical modulating action was observed for one isolate.