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A Novel Approach To Identify Shared Fragments In Drugs And Natural Products, Ashkay Balasubramanya, Ishwor Thapa, Dhundy Raj Bastola, Dario Ghersi

Interdisciplinary Informatics Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Fragment-based approaches have now become an important component of the drug discovery process. At the same time, pharmaceutical chemists are more often turning to the natural world and its extremely large and diverse collection of natural compounds to discover new leads that can potentially be turned into drugs. In this study we introduce and discuss a computational pipeline to automatically extract statistically overrepresented chemical fragments in therapeutic classes, and search for similar fragments in a large database of natural products. By systematically identifying enriched fragments in therapeutic groups, we are able to extract and focus on few fragments that are …

Monitoring Of Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (Opat) And Implementation Of Clinical Pharmacy Services At A Community Hospital Infusion Unit, Punit J. Shah, Scott Bergman, Donald Graham, Stephanie Glenn

SIUE Faculty Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

Background: In 2004, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) published monitoring guidelines for outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT), but no assessment of their utilization has been reported. We evaluated adherence to these recommendations by physicians at infusion centers and then piloted a program of supervision of monitoring by pharmacists.

Methods: Phase I: We performed a retrospective case-control study of patients who received OPAT over one year at two hospital infusion centers. Controls were patients treated by an infectious diseases (ID) physician, and cases were those without an ID physician. Patients were excluded if they received fewer than …

Ebola Virus Infection: Overview And Update On Prevention And Treatment, Miguel J. Martínez, Abdulbaset M. Salim, Juan C. Hurtado, Paul E. Kilgore

Department of Pharmacy Practice

In 2014 and 2015, the largest Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in history affected large populations across West Africa. The goal of this report is to provide an update on the epidemic and review current progress in the development, evaluation and deployment of prevention and treatment strategies for EVD. Relevant information was identified through a comprehensive literature search using Medline, PubMed and CINAHL Complete and using the search terms Ebola, Ebola virus disease, Ebola hemorrhagic fever, West Africa outbreak, Ebola transmission, Ebola symptoms and signs, Ebola diagnosis, Ebola treatment, vaccines for Ebola and clinical trials on Ebola. Through 22 July …

Impact Of An Antimicrobial Stewardship Intervention On Urinary Tract Infection Treatment In The Emergency Department, Kelly M. Percival, Kristine M. Valenti, Stacy E. Scmittling, Brandi D. Strader, Rebecka R. Lopez, Scott Bergman

SIUE Faculty Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

STUDY OBJECTIVE:

The study objective is to assess changes in treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) after implementation of recommendations based on national guidelines and local resistance rates.

METHODS:

This preintervention and postintervention study included patients discharged home from the emergency department (ED) with an uncomplicated UTI at a 439-bed teaching hospital. Emergency department prescribers were educated on how local antimicrobial resistance rates impact UTI practice guidelines. Empiric treatment according to recommendations was assessed as the primary outcome. Agreement between chosen therapy and isolated pathogen susceptibility was compared before and after education. Reevaluation in the ED or hospital admission …

Application Of Ichip To Grow “Uncultivable” Microorganisms And Its Impact On Antibiotic Discovery, Rinzhin T. Sherpa, Caretta J. Reese, Hamidreza Montazeri Aliabadi

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose. Antibiotics have revolutionized modern medicine, allowing significant progress in healthcare and improvement in life expectancy. Development of antibiotic resistance by pathogenic bacteria is a natural phenomenon; however, the rate of antibiotic resistance emergence is increasing at an alarming rate, due to indiscriminate use of antibiotics in healthcare, agriculture and even everyday products. Traditionally, antibiotic discovery has been conducted by screening extracts of microorganisms for antimicrobial activity. However, this conventional source has been over-used to such an extent that it poses the risk of “running out” of new antibiotics. Aiming to increase access to a greater diversity of microorganisms, …

Role Of Macrophages In Muscle Transfection With Pdna/Pluronic Formulation, Vivek Mahajan

Theses & Dissertations

Non-ionic amphiphilic block copolymers of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(propylene oxide) (PPO), Pluronics, arranged in a tri-block structure PEO-PPO-PEO, have raised a considerable interest in skeletal muscle Gene Therapy. Previous studies have demonstrated that co-administration of Pluronics with naked plasmid DNA (pDNA) by direct i.m. injection enhanced transgene expression not only in muscle but also in distal lymphoid organs (spleen and lymph nodes) and this response was strain-dependent; not observed in athymic (BALB/c nu/nu) mouse; suggesting a role of immune cells in gene transfer to skeletal muscles. Therefore, we first evaluated the role of inflammation and inflammatory cells, on muscle …

Computational Modeling Of Rna-Small Molecule And Rna-Protein Interactions, Lu Chen

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The past decade has witnessed an era of RNA biology; despite the considerable discoveries nowadays, challenges still remain when one aims to screen RNA-interacting small molecule or RNA-interacting protein. These challenges imply an immediate need for cost-efficient while predictive computational tools capable of generating insightful hypotheses to discover novel RNA-interacting small molecule or RNA-interacting protein. Thus, we implemented novel computational models in this dissertation to predict RNA-ligand interactions (Chapter 1) and RNA-protein interactions (Chapter 2).

Targeting RNA has not garnered comparable interest as protein, and is restricted by lack of computational tools for structure-based drug design. To test the potential …

The College Of Pharmacy, South Dakota State University

Jackrabbits Script and Scope (Formerly called College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions Magazine)

[Page] 2 Master of Public Health College of Pharmacy joins forces with other colleges and USD to offer Master of Public Health degree.
[Page] 4 Father of Tamoxifen V. Craig Jordan visits State as Francis Miller Distinguished Lecturer.
[Page] 6 Hometown satisfaction Dedication to hometown and residents earns Travis Anderberg ’04 the 2015 South Dakota Retailer of the Year.
[Page] 10 Excellence Tadd Hellwig named college’s outstanding scholar while Debra Farver chosen college’s teacher of the year.
[Page] 12 Building better mouse models Markl Faculty Scholar Wenfeng An’s research using mouse models lands two National Institutes of Health grants.
[Page] …

The Role Of Community Pharmacy-Based Vaccination In The Usa: Current Practice And Future Directions, Albert Bach, Jeffery A. Goad

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Community pharmacy-based provision of immunizations in the USA has become commonplace in the last few decades, with success in increasing rates of immunizations. Community pharmacy-based vaccination services are provided by pharmacists educated in the practice of immunization delivery and provide a convenient and accessible option for receiving immunizations. The pharmacist's role in immunization practice has been described as serving in the roles of educator, facilitator, and immunizer. With a majority of pharmacist-provided vaccinations occurring in the community pharmacy setting, there are many examples of community pharmacists serving in these immunization roles with successful outcomes. Different community pharmacies employ a number …

New Approach To Develop Ultra-High Inhibitory Drug Using The Power Function Of The Stoichiometry Of The Targeted Nanomachine Or Biocomplex, Dan Shu, Fengmei Pi, Chi Wang, Peng Zhang, Peixuan Guo

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

AIMS: To find methods for potent drug development by targeting to biocomplex with high copy number.

METHODS: Phi29 DNA packaging motor components with different stoichiometries were used as model to assay virion assembly with Yang Hui's Triangle [Formula: see text], where Z = stoichiometry, M = drugged subunits per biocomplex, p and q are the fraction of drugged and undrugged subunits in the population.

RESULTS: Inhibition efficiency follows a power function. When number of drugged subunits to block the function of the complex K = 1, the uninhibited biocomplex equals q(z), demonstrating the multiplicative effect of stoichiometry on inhibition with …

In Silico Molecular Docking Analysis To Predict The Role Of Metal Ions In The Function Of Drug Targeted Proteins, S. M. A. Shahid, Qazi M. S. Jamal, J. M. Arif, Fahad M. Al-Khodairy, Anupam Dhasmana, Mohtashim Lohani

School of Medicine Publications

Metal ions are required for many critical functions in living systems. Scarcity of some metal ions can lead to disease. A characteristic of metals is that they easily lose electrons from the familiar elemental or metallic state to form positively charged ions which tend to be soluble in biological fluids. Role of zinc, calcium and copper ions in the catalytic mechanism of drug targeted proteins such as Farnesyltransferase, Neuraminidase and Thioredoxin are analyzed using molecular docking, respectively. The docking results show that inhibitors have low Binding, docking and internal energies with proteins in the presence of Zn, Ca and Cu …

Flucytosine Pharmacokinetics In A Critically Ill Patient Receiving Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy, Megan E. Kunka, Elizabeth A. Cady, Heejung C. Woo, Melissa L. Thompson Bastin

Pharmacy Practice and Science Faculty Publications

Purpose. A case report evaluating flucytosine dosing in a critically ill patient receiving continuous renal replacement therapy. Summary. This case report outlines an 81-year-old male who was receiving continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH) for acute renal failure and was being treated with flucytosine for the treatment of disseminated Cryptococcus neoformans infection. Due to patient specific factors, flucytosine was empirically dose adjusted approximately 50% lower than intermittent hemodialysis (iHD) recommendations and approximately 33% lower than CRRT recommendations. Peak and trough levels were obtained, which were supratherapeutic, and pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated. The patient experienced thrombocytopenia, likely due to elevated flucytosine …

Commencement Program 2015, Loma Linda University

Commencement Programs

CONTENTS

1 | Message from the President

3 | 2015 Events of Commencement

5 | The Academic Procession

7 | Significance of Academic Regalia

9 | The Good Samaritan

10 | University History Highlights

12 | Loma Linda University Song - "Healing Love"

13 | The Speakers

23 | The University Honorees

45 | The School Honorees

72 | The Programs

• School of Medicine, 73
• School of Pharmacy, 95
• School of Dentistry, 103
• School of Allied Health Professions, 122
• School of Allied Health Professions - Physical Therapy, 143
• School of Public Health, 154
• School of Behavioral Health and School of …

The Impact Of Peptide Nucleic Acid Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (Pna Fish®) Rapid Diagnostic Testing On The Initiation Of Appropriate Antifungal Therapy In Patients With Candida Species Bloodstream Infections, Jenna Lee Ksiazkiewicz

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Background: Traditional methods for detecting positive blood cultures include the use of broth bottles with sensitive indicators for growth. These techniques can take 24-48 hours to signal a positive test. Another 24 hours are often required to determine the species of the organism. The use of rapid diagnostic testing for Candida species bloodstream infections provides accurate species identification in less than two hours.

Objective: Evaluate the time to appropriate antifungal therapy in patients in which rapid diagnostic testing was utilized.

Methods: This study was a retrospective, observational cohort of patients who had positive blood cultures for Candida species and had …

Drug-Drug Interactions Among Hepatitis C Virus (Hcv) And Human Immunodeficiency Virus (Hiv) Medications, Kirpal Kaur, Mona A. Gandhi, Judianne Slish

Doctoral External Publications

One-fourth of individuals diagnosed with the human immunodeficiency virus concomitantly have the hepatitis C virus infection. Since the discovery of highly active antiretroviral therapy, liver complications have become the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in HIV-HCV coinfected individuals. Optimal treatment in this patient population is critical, as coinfection has been linked to deterioration of both disease states. The objective of this review article is to highlight the current literature on drug-drug interactions between HIV and HCV treatments. The management of the treatment of coinfection patients has been covered extensively in numerous other publications.

Clinical Evaluation Of Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (Lamp) Assay For Rapid Detection Of Neisseria Meningitidis In Cerebrospinal Fluid, Dokyung Lee, Eun Jin Kim, Paul E. Kilgore, Soon Ae Kim, Hideyuki Takahashi, Makoto Ohnishi, Dang Duc Anh, Bai Qing Dong, Jung Soo Kim, Jun Tomono, Shigehiko Miyamoto, Tsugunori Notomi, Dong Wook Kim, Mitsuko Seki

Department of Pharmacy Practice

Background

Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) is a leading causative agent of bacterial meningitis in humans. Traditionally, meningococcal meningitis has been diagnosed by bacterial culture. However, isolation of bacteria from patients’ cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is time consuming and sometimes yields negative results. Recently, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based diagnostic methods of detecting Nm have been considered the gold standard because of their superior sensitivity and specificity compared with culture. In this study, we developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method and evaluated its ability to detect Nm in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Methodology/Principal Findings

We developed a meningococcal LAMP assay (Nm LAMP) that targets …

Nsu Sharks Rx - Spring 2015, College Of Pharmacy

NSU Sharks Rx

No abstract provided.

Evaluating The Effects Of An Interdisciplinary Practice Model With Pharmacist Collaboration On Hiv Patient Co-Morbidities, Rebecca Cope, Leonard Berkowitz, Rebecca Arcebido, Jun-Yen Yeh, Nathan Trustman, Agnes Cha

Touro College of Pharmacy (New York) Publications and Research

Treatment of HIV now occurs largely within the primary care setting, and the principal focus of most visits has become the management of chronic disease states. The clinical pharmacist’s potential role in improving chronic disease outcomes for HIV patients is unknown. A retrospective cohort study was performed for HIV-positive patients also diagnosed with diabetes, hypertension, or hyperlipidemia. Characteristics and outcomes in 96 patients treated by an interdisciplinary team which included a clinical pharmacist (i.e., the intervention group) were compared to those in 50 patients treated by an individual healthcare provider (i.e., the control group). Primary outcomes were changes from baseline …

Customized Order-Entry Sets Can Prevent Antiretroviral Prescribing Errors: A Novel Opportunity For Antimicrobial Stewardship, Yi Guo, Philip Chung, Caryn Weiss, Keith Veltri, Grace Y. Minamoto

Touro College of Pharmacy (New York) Publications and Research

Background: Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection on antiretroviral (ARV) therapy are at increased risk for medication errors during transitions of care between the outpatient and inpatient settings. This can lead to treatment failure or toxicity. Previous studies have emphasized the prevalence of medication errors in such patients, but few have reported initiatives to prevent errors from occurring.

Methods: The study was conducted in a 1,400-bed health care center with a state-designated Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Center in the Bronx, New York. The antimicrobial stewardship team and HIV specialists developed customized order-entry sets (COES) to guide ARV …

Majority Of Hiv/Hcv Patients Need To Switch Antiretroviral Therapy To Accommodate Direct Acting Antivirals, Rebecca Cope, Aaron Pickering, Thomas Glowa, Samantha Faulds, Peter Veldkamp, Ramakrishna Prasad

Touro College of Pharmacy (New York) Publications and Research

The impact of drug–drug interactions (DDIs) between interferon-free direct acting antiviral (DAA) regimens and antiretrovirals (ART) among HIV/HCV co-infected individuals in clinical practice settings is unknown. A singlecenter, retrospective chart review of co-infected patients was conducted from June 2014 to February 2015. Significant interactions between simeprevir (SMV), ledipasvir (LDV), and paritaprevir/ritonavir/ombitasvir plus dasabuvir (3D regimen) with ART were identified based on available literature. SMV had the largest number of DDIs and was further investigated to determine the feasibility of ART switch to allow for DAA use. Of 127 subjects, 23% had advanced liver disease; 86% of those with known HCV …

Treatment Outcomes For Infections Caused By “Spice” (S–Serratia, P–Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, I–Indole Positive Proteus, C–Citrobacter, E– Enterobacter) Organisms: Carbapenem Versus Non-Carbapenem Regimens, Stanley Moy, Roopali Sharma

Touro College of Pharmacy (New York) Publications and Research

Background. Techniques to identify AmpC β-lactamases in SPICE organisms are not yet optimized for the clinical laboratory and are not routinely done. Clinicians are often left with an uncertainty on the choice of antibiotic when a SPICE organism is isolated. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the outcomes of carbapenem versus non-carbapenem regimens in treating bacteremia or urinary tract infection (UTI) from a SPICE organism in a “real-world” setting.

Methods. This was a single-center, retrospective, case-cohort study consisting of adult patients who had clinical infection with a SPICE organism isolated from blood or urine cultures. Patients …

Structural Studies Of Aav2 Rep68 Reveal A Partially Structured Linker And Compact Domain Conformation, Faik N. Musayev, Francisco Zarate-Perez, Martino Bardelli, Clayton Bishop, Emil F. Saniev, R. Michael Linden, Els Henckaerts, Carlos R. Escalante

Medicinal Chemistry Publications

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) nonstructural proteins Rep78 and Rep68 carry out all DNA transactions that regulate the AAV life cycle. They share two multifunctional domains: an N-terminal origin binding/nicking domain (OBD) from the HUH superfamily and a SF3 helicase domain. A short linker of ~20 amino acids that is critical for oligomerization and function connects the two domains. Although X-ray structures of the AAV5 OBD and AAV2 helicase domains have been determined, information about the full-length protein and linker conformation is not known. This article presents the solution structure of AAV2 Rep68 using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). We first determined the …

Evaluate To Learn: Integrating Assessment Data To Improve Outcome Of A Didactic Biomedical Science Course, Paramita Basu, John Fisher, Batoul Senhaji-Tomza, Suzanne R. Soliman

Touro College of Pharmacy (New York) Publications and Research

Objectives: To describe the evaluation system used to identify curricular issues within a pre-clinical biomedical science course in a Pharm.D program and report the difference in outcome after implementation of the resulting changes.

Method: Course content, sequence of delivery and integration of topics with other courses in the relevant tracks were reviewed to identify discrepancies. Evaluation feedback from students and faculty were obtained from E-value online course evaluation system, and end of course discussion reports. Student performance in the course before and after implementing the recommended changes were compared to assess their effectiveness.

Results: Content duplications and …

Acid-Suppressing Agents And Risk For Clostridium Difficile Infection In Pediatric Patients, Katelyn E. Brown, Chad A. Knoderer, Kristen R. Nichols, Ashley S. Crumby

Scholarship and Professional Work – COPHS

Background. Acid-suppressing agents have been associated with increased Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in adults. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of acid-suppressing therapy with the development of CDI in the pediatric population.

Methods. This was a retrospective case-control study. Children aged 1 through 17 years with a positive C difficile polymerase chain reaction (PCR) result obtained between June 1, 2008, and June 1, 2012, were randomly matched to a control population selected from patients with negative PCR.

Results. A total of 458 children were included. No difference was observed in acid-suppressive therapy prior …

Implementing Extended-Infusion Cefepime As Standard Of Care In A Children’S Hospital: A Prospective Descriptive Study, Kristen R. Nichols, Lauren C. Karmire, Elaine G. Cox, Michael B. Kays, Chad A. Knoderer

Scholarship and Professional Work – COPHS

Background: Extended-infusion cefepime (EIC) has been associated with decreased mortality in adults, but to our knowledge, there are no studies in children.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of implementing EIC as the standard dosing strategy in a pediatric population.

Methods: This was a descriptive study of children aged 1 month to 17 years, including patients in the intensive care unit, who received cefepime after admission to a freestanding, tertiary care children’s hospital. Patients were excluded if they were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit or received cefepime in the outpatient, …

Late-Occurring Vancomycin-Associated Acute Kidney Injury In Children Receiving Prolonged Therapy, Chad A. Knoderer, Allison L. Gritzman, Kristen R. Nichols, Amy C. Wilson

Scholarship and Professional Work – COPHS

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients receiving vancomycin has been associated with trough concentrations ≥15 mg/L and longer therapy duration. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence and factors associated with late AKI in children receiving ≥8 days of vancomycin therapy. Methods: Children aged 30 days to 17 years who were admitted to our institution and received intravenous vancomycin for at least 8 days during January to December of 2007 and 2010 and had a suspected or proven gram-positive infection were included. Late AKI was categorized as AKI occurring after the first 7 days of therapy …

Justifying The Implementation Of A Collaborative Drug Therapy Management (Cdtm) Protocol In An Outpatient Psychiatric Clinic: A Retrospective Chart Review, Kevin Michael Bozymski

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Objective

To identify opportunities where pharmacists could intervene and justify the benefits of outpatient clinical pharmacy services through a CDTM protocol within Gallahue Mental Health Center by assessing current antipsychotic monitoring

Methods

A retrospective chart review was performed of patients visiting an outpatient psychiatric clinic over 14 months. A review was also completed of patients followed at two primary care clinics within Community Health Network. Patients were at least 18 years old and had at least one active antipsychotic prescription. A standardized data collection sheet was used to document monitoring frequency and appropriateness as recommended by the 2004 American Diabetes …

Stratification Of The Impact Of Inappropriate Empirical Antimicrobial Therapy For Gram-Negative Bloodstream Infections By Predicted Prognosis, Sarah E. Cain, Joseph Kohn, P. Brandon Bookstaver, Helmut Albrecht, Majdi N. Al-Hasan

Faculty Publications

The bloodstream infection mortality risk score (BSIMRS) predicts the outcome of patients with Gram-negative bloodstream infections (BSI) with high discrimination. This retrospective cohort study examined the impact of inappropriate antimicrobial therapy on mortality in adult patients with Gram-negative BSI admitted to Palmetto Health Hospitals in Columbia, SC, USA, from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2012 after stratification by predicted prognosis at initial presentation using BSIMRS. A multivariate Cox regression model was used to identify independent risk factors for 28-day mortality overall and within each predefined BSIMRS category (<5, 5 to 9, and ≥10). Relative risk reduction (RRR), absolute risk reduction (ARR), and number needed to treat (NNT) were calculated from a predictive logistic regression model of mortality. Overall, 390 unique patients with first episodes of Gram-negative BSI were identified. The median age was 66 years, and 229 (59%) were women. There was significant association between inappropriate antimicrobial therapy and mortality in patients with BSIMRS of 5 to 9 (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 3.55; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 1.22 to 8.31; P = 0.02) and BSIMRS of ≥10 (aHR, 4.99; 95% CI, 1.09 to 22.87; P = 0.04) but not in those with BSIMRS of <5 (aHR, 3.34; 95% CI, 0.17 to 22.77; P = 0.34). RRR, ARR, and NNT were 0.25, 0.02, and 63 for BSIMRS of <5; 0.56, 0.32, and 3 for BSIMRS of 5 to 9; and 0.39, 0.39, and 3 for BSIMRS of ≥10, respectively. There is a significant benefit from appropriate antimicrobial therapy in patients with Gram-negative BSI with guarded (BSIMRS of 5 to 9) and poor (BSIMRS of ≥10) predicted prognosis. Survival difference remains unclear among those with good predicted prognosis (BSIMRS of <5) at initial presentation.

Dendritic And Langerhans Cells Respond To Aβ Peptides Differently: Implication For Ad Immunotherapy, Jiang Cheng, Xiaoyang Lin, David Morgan, Marcia Gordon, Xi Chen, Zhen-Hai Wang, Hai-Ning Li, Lan-Jie He, Shu-Feng Zhou, Chuanhai Cao

Molecular Pharmacology & Physiology Faculty Publications

Both wild-type and mutated beta-amyloid (Aβ) peptides can elicit an immune response when delivered subcutaneously. However, only mutated forms of Aβ can sensitize dendritic cells when administered intravenously or intraperitoneally. To understand the role of mutation and delivery routes in creating immune responses, and the function of dendritic cells as therapeutic agents, we used fluorescent-conjugated WT Aβ1-40 (WT40) and artificially mutated Aβ1-40 (22W40) peptides to treat dendritic and Langerhans cells from young and/or old mice at different time points. The cell types were analyzed by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy to identify differences in function and antigen presentation, and Luminex …

Discovery Of Alternative Artemisinin Binding Sites In Plasmodium Falciparum Atpase-6, Shuneize Elizabeth Slater

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Malaria is a fatal yet preventable and treatable disease. It is commonly spread through the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito. Malaria parasites belong to the Plasmodium genus and can be caused by the falciparum, malariae, ovale, vivax, and knowlesi species. Artemisinin is an endoperoxide lactone extracted from qinghaosu (Artemisia annua L. or sweet wormwood). It and its derivatives possess uncharacteristically rapid action against Plasmodium falciparum. Artemisinin is unique in its effectiveness in deadly cerebral malaria. The endoperoxide bridge is crucial for its antimalarial activity; however, how it aids in killing the parasite is unknown. While there are multiple suggested …