Due to the development of antimalarial resistance strains of Plasmodium falciparum, the search for new antimalarial drugs is immediately needed. Such drugs might work by obstructing the heme detoxification pathway in the malaria parasite, a vital requirement for parasite existence in host erythrocytes. The present study is aimed to investigate the antimalarial activity of four preparative HPLC fractions from Cinnamomum cassia water extract using semi-quantitative in vitro micro-assay that is based on the inhibition of ferriprotoporphyrin IX (FP) biomineralization. A reversed phase C18 inch preparative column and wateracetonitrile binary solvent mixture mobile phase were used to collect the fractions at 275 nm. UHPLC-MS revealed that the major compounds in water crude Cinnamomum cassia extract are coumarin and cinnamic acid. Containing coumarin as a major compound, fraction 2 showed superior efficacy compared to chloroquine and 2 -mercaptopyrimidine positive controls. Fraction 3 which contains cinnamic acid showed moderate activity, while fraction 4 was the least potent.

Malaria remains one of the prominent public health problems that lead to severe morbidity and mortality in many developing countries around the globe. New antimalarial drugs are urgently needed due to the emergence of antimalarial-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum. In previous studies, we tested several plants extracts that are capable of inhibiting β-hematin formation, with efficiency similar to chloroquine. In the current study, the effect of cinnamon ethanol and water extracts on inhibiting β-hematin formation was studied. Powdered cinnamon extracts and bark in a stick form were investigated using various extraction methods. A semi-quantitative in vitro method, based on the inhibition of ferriprotoporphyrin IX (FP) bio-crystallization developed by Deharo et al. (2002) was utilized. Water extracts of cinnamon revealed potential activity even at low concentration of infusions, which was manifested by a high capability to inhibit β-hematin formation in vitro.