Receptor-drug association studies in the inhibition of the hematin aggregation process of malaria

Docking studies were performed to investigate the binding of several antimalarial compounds to the putative drug receptors involved in the hematin aggregation process. These studies reveal a binding profile that correlates with the complementarity of electrostatic potentials between the receptors and the active molecules. These results allow a possible explanation for the same molecular mechanism shown by 4-aminoquinolines, quinine, mefloquine, halofantrine and hydroxylated xanthones. The docking data presented in this work offer an interesting approach to the design of new molecules with potential antimalarial activity. (C) 2003 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.