MRC PhD student

Level of study: PhD

Title: The Investigation of 5 South African Medicinal Plants for Anti-plasmodial activity and the Isolation and Characterization of novel anti-plasmodial compounds

Study Institution: University of Cape Town, Division of Pharmacology

Research question: Medicinal plants are commonly used and documented in the treatment, prevention and management of malarial infections. Malaria is a health threat in many tropical countries and worse so in Africa with a handful of available drugs in the market. The majority of these drugs have been rendered useless due to the resistance that the plasmodium parasite has developed against them. There is an urgent need for the discovery and development of new safe and effective drugs against malaria based on leads from traditional medicinal plants.

Project Summary: Three novel compounds isolated from 2 medicinal plants were evaluated for in vivo anti-plasmodial activity using a mouse model. Both plants had an effect on parasite growth. The in vivo bioavailability of the most promising novel compound was determined and apreliminary pharmacokinetic profile obtained. The in vitro and in vivo results suggest that the two investigated plants have anti-malarial properties.

Supervisor: Prof PJ Smith
Mentor: Dr MG Matsabisa
Support: DST, NIKSO (National Indigenous Knowledge Systems Office)
MRC Unit: Indigenous Knowledge Systems