Tetracycline Antibiotics in Malaria

Abstract

The emergence and rapid extension of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to various antimalarial compounds has gradually limited malaria therapeutic possibilities available to clinicians and the choice of an adapted prophylaxis to travellers specific for their destinations. In this context, doxycycline constitutes an interesting alternative apart from its counter-indications, occurring primarily in children less than eight years old and in pregnant women. Already used suc- cessfully in the treatment of malaria in association with quinine in zones of multi-resistances, doxycycline has proven to be effective and well-tolerated in the prevention of malaria. Resistance to doxycycline has not been described until now. The listed prophylactic failures are primarily dependent on an incorrect observation. The mechanisms of action of doxy- cycline on the parasite are not completely elucidated. The identification of the molecular targets of doxycycline would al- low the design of structural analogues that are more active and stable.