Synthesis, in vitro Antiplasmodial Activity and Cytotoxicity of Metalloporphyrins against Plasmodium falciparum K1 Strain

Malaria infection is a severe infectious disease caused by plasmodium parasites and should be treated as emergency medicine. Until now, no vaccine has been commercialized to prevent malaria. Six nickel(II) and zinc(II) metal porphyrin compounds based on free meso porphyrin base 5,15-diphenylporphrin (2), 5,15-dihexylporphyrin (3), and 5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl porphyrin (4), known as NiDDHP, NiDPP, NiTPP, ZnDHP, ZnDPP and ZnTPP are produced through Lindsey condensation before being characterized by spectroscopy (nuclear magnetic resonance, ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry, mass spectrometry) and physical (melting point). In vitro antiplasmodial and cytotoxicity activities against the P. falciparum K1 strain were assessed and compared to the antiplasmodial activity of referral drugs such as chloroquine artemisinin. ZnDHP, ZnTPP and NiDPP recorded parasites' growth with 50% effective inhibition concentration (EC50) in a range of 21.4 to 36.0 mu M. Cytotoxic activities of NiDPP, ZnDHP and ZnTPP against Vero mammalian cells were in a non-toxic range of about 97 to 587 mu M. ZnDHP possessed the highest selectivity index value of 27.2 mu M, indicating that the compound's antiplasmodial effect was a selective plasmodial inhibition and non-toxic to the mammalian cells.