Antimalarial Activity of Radicicol, Heptelidic Acid and Other Fungal Metabolites

Abstract

In the course of our screening program for artemisinin-like antimalarial compounds from microorganisms, seven fungal metabolites such as radicicol and heptelidic acid were identified as active compounds. Some of them exhibited antimalarial activity in vitro against the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum to the extent of approximately 1/10 as potent as artemisinin. Radicicol was moderately active in vivo against Plasmodium berghei in mice.