Malaria remains one of the major infectious diseases with high morbidity
and mortality in developing and under-developed countries of the world. Although
readily curable, the development of resistance by the malaria parasite especially
Plasmodium falciparum, to existing antimalarials necessitates the need for continuous
search for new antimalarial drugs. Several approaches have been adopted in this search
including those based on natural products, particularly medicinal plants and herbs. As
exemplified in the discovery of quinine and artemisinin, there has been intensified
effort in the search of safe and efficacious plant-based antimalarial compounds. This
search has yielded moderate success. The current chapter highlights the most promising
plant-based drug discovery success with particular emphasis on studies that have
reached some advanced clinical stages. With many plant-based compounds exerting
antimalarial activities through multiple mechanisms, it is expected that further studies
will complement current research efforts towards successful antimalarial drug
discovery and development.
Keywords: Artemisinin, Chloroquine, Drug discovery, Herbal medicine, Malaria,
Natural products, Plant-derived drugs, Plasmodium falciparum, Quinine,
Reversed pharmacology.
