Antimalarial Drug Discovery from Natural and Synthetic Sources

Abstract

Malaria remains a significant global health threat despite extensive efforts aimed at its eradication. Numerous challenges persist in eliminating the disease, chief among them being the parasite's ability to mutate, resulting in drug resistance. The discovery of antimalarial drugs has relied on both phenotypic and target-based approaches. While phenotypic screening has identified promising candidates, target-based methods offer a more precise approach by leveraging chemically validated targets and computational tools. Analysis of Plasmodium spp. protein structures reveal druggable targets, offering opportunities for in silico screening. Combining compounds from natural and synthetic sources in a target-based approach accelerates the discovery of new antimalarial agents. This review explores previous breakthroughs in antimalarial drug discovery from natural products and synthetic origins, emphasizing their specific target proteins within Plasmodium species.