DrugBank ID:

DB00358

Description:

Malaria is a protozoan disease that places an enormous burden on human health in endemic areas around the world. The 2020 World Health Organization malaria report indicates a 60% decrease in the global malaria fatality rate between 2000 to 2019.Despite this, malaria remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality; 90% of deaths from malaria occur in Africa. Individuals at the highest risk for malaria are those in disease naïve populations, children under age 5, refugees in Central and Eastern Africa, nonimmune civilian and military travelers, pregnant women, and immigrants traveling to their place of origin.Mefloquine, commonly known as Lariam, is an antimalarial drug used for the prevention and treatment of malaria caused by infection with Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum. The drug was initially discovered by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) during a malaria drug discovery program between 1963 until 1976. It was approved by the FDA in 1989, and was first marketed by Hoffman Laroche.This drug has been the subject of widespread controversy due to concerns regarding neurotoxic effects; product information warns of potential serious neuropsychiatric effects. [DrugBank]

Targets:

Fe(II)-protoporphyrin IX (Plasmodium falciparum); Adenosine receptor A2a (Humans); 80S ribosomal subunit (Plasmodium falciparum) [DrugBank]

Pharmacodynamics:

Sporozoites located in the salivary glands of mosquitoes infected with malaria parasites are introduced into the bloodstream of a human host during mosquito feeding. These sporozoites rapidly invade the liver, where they mature into liver-stage schizonts, rupturing and releasing 2,000 - 40,000 merozoites that invade red blood cells.18 Mefloquine is an antimalarial drug acting as a blood schizonticide, preventing and treating malaria.1,3 [DrugBank]

SMILES:

OC(c1cc(C(F)(F)F)nc2c(C(F)(F)F)cccc12)C1CCCCN1

2D structures:  

3D structures: