Current developments on antimalarial drugs and mechanisms of resistance to antimalarials

Abstract

Background: Antimalarial drugs are key tools for the control and elimination of malaria. Widespread and indiscriminate use of antimalarial drugs makes malaria parasites to evolve mechanisms of resistance. Currently, there are many new antimalarial drug targets; these include malaria parasite proteases, Phosphatidylinositol 4‑kinase (PfPI4K) Inhibitors, Parasite’s Lactate Transporter Inhibitors, P‑Type Na+ATPase Inhibitors (PfATP4) Inhibitors, Choline Transport Inhibitors, P. falciparum Translational Elongation Factor 2 Inhibitors etc. It is important to keep abreast of the antimalarials commonly used for malaria treatment; new drug targets and current issues in respect of antimamlarial drug resistance and their mechanisms. Here we review the various antimalarials in use today, their mechanisms of action and genetic markers of antimalarial resistance using information from published Journals.