Quantitative analysis used in malaria study

Scientists have used quantitative analysis methods to investigate a potential new treatment for malaria.

In a study published by the Malaria Journal, a team from the University of KwaZulu-Natal explained that a mounting resistance to anti-malaria drugs is threatening to undermine efforts to eliminate the disease.

As a result, scientists are on the look-out for drugs with novel modes of action and have begun an initiative to discover new anti-plasmodial agents from South African medicinal plants.

One of the plants selected for investigation was Dicoma anomala subsp. gerrardii, based on its ethnomedicinal profile.

Following oligonucleotide microarray- and data analysis 572 unique genes were identified, that were differentially expressed as a result of the treatment and gene ontology analysis identified various biological processes and molecular functions that were significantly affected.

The scientists said that the findings highlight Dicoma anomala subsp as a potential treatment for malaria, adding that more studies were needed to ensure the role it plays in advancing anti- plasmodial drug discovery efforts.