Artemisinin effectiveness in erythrocytes is reduced by heme and heme-containing proteins

• Main Authors: Napawan Ponmee, Tatsanee Chuchue, Prapon Wilairat, Yongyuth Yuthavong, Sumalee Kamchonwongpaisan
• Other Authors: Thailand National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
• Format: Article
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology; Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics
• Online Access: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/24180
• Institution: Mahidol University

Artemisinin loses its antimalarial activity on prolonged exposure to erythrocytes, especially α-thalassemic erythrocytes. In this report, we show that the major artemisinin-inactivating factor in cytosol of normal erythrocytes was heat-labile but a heat-stable factor from α-thalassemic cells also pl...