AN IMMUNOMODULATOR AGAINST

MALARIA INFECTION
Marcela Dur
Durn (PG)(1), Fabio T. M. Costa(PQ)(2), Marcelo Brocchi(PQ)(3) Stefanie Lopes (PG)(2), Ljubica Tasic (PQ)(1); Iseu S.Nunes(4), Nelson Dur
Durn(PQ)(4,5)
(1) IQIQ-UNICAMP, (2) IBIB-ParasitolParasitol- UNICAMP; (3) IBIB-MicrobiolMicrobiol-UNICAMP; (4) Farmabrasilis,
Farmabrasilis, (5) IQIQ-BiolBiol-ChemChem-UNICAMP.
UNICAMP.

BACKGROUND:
one

of

the

Malaria

worlds

is

most

common diseases caused by

parasite.

Solid white powder of fine

crystals
Its composition: phosfate
magnesiun
ammonium
lipids
protein

nanocrystals

were

obtained

Protein is 0.5 % of molecule

(PM~16 k Da )

with sizes around 200-1000 nm

35.2 % is Arg.

moment, the P-MAPA crystals

and

have

OBJETIVES:

By a re-precipitation method,

strong

Plasmodium
vivax,
P.
falciparium, P. malariae e
P. ovale.

Optimize

Female Anopheles mosquito.

micro and nanocrystals on P.

500 million of people/year

has been sick around the
world.

and

confirme

the

polymorph.

been

tested

bioactivity

At

and

the

the

against

malaria was observed in vivo.

activities in vivo of P-MAPAs

falciparum, and in experimental

infection models.
METHODS:

Children < 5 years are the

most effected group in
frica.

One child dies each 30

seconds.

1 to 3 million
dies/year.

Homogenization to high pressure

people

The assessment of the P-

Re-precipitation

MAPA activity against malaria

RESULTS: We have obtained

was conducted in groups of 7-

the

are

10 C57BL/6 female mice (5-8

optimizing the two nanoniza-

week-old) (pathogen-free ani-

tion methods conditions with

mals). P-MAPA inhibited

aim to achieve as uniform as

parasitemia up to 100 % with

possible nanocrystals.

only one dose of 100 mg/kg

nanocrystals

and

P-MAPA

the

until sixth-day in the infected

Obtained

in

cultures

of

mice. When only the 50 % of

Aspergillus oryzae

the control group survived.

Proteic agregate (316 kDa)

With 5 mg/kg per day, 90 % of

Homogenization by high pres-

mice survived the ninth day,

sure of P-MAPA in surfactant:

meanwhile 60 % of control

A) crystals (x300) e B) micro

mice died .

and nanocrystals (x 25000).