Last Updated: 19/10/2023

SAILing around the most abundant chemical elements in Life: development of bioactive Surface-Active Ionic Liquids by combination of antimalarial drugs with natural lipids

Objectives

This study aims at the development of bioactive Surface-Active Ionic Liquids (SAIL) by combination of antimalarial drugs with natural lipids.

Principal Institution

University of Porto, Portugal

Principal Investigators / Focal Persons

Ana Teresa Teixeira da Silva

Rationale and Abstract

Inspired by previous disclosure of room-temperature ionic liquids derived from primaquine and cinnamic acids, which displayed slightly enhanced blood-stage activity compared to the parent drug, this study has now combined this emblematic antimalarial with natural fatty acids. This affords surface-active ionic liquids whose liver-stage antiplasmodial activity is either retained or slightly enhanced, while revealing blood-stage antiplasmodial activity at least one order of magnitude higher than that of the parent compound. These findings open new perspectives towards the cost-effective recycling of classical drugs that are either shelved or in decline, and which is not limited to antimalarial agents.

Project Outputs

Article: Drug-Derived Surface-Active Ionic Liquids: A Cost-Effective Way To Expressively Increase the Blood-Stage Antimalarial Activity of Primaquine

External reference

Project details

Thematic Categories

Product Development

Date

Jul 2020 — Mar 2023

Total Project Funding

$3,360

Funding Details

Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), Portugal