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Non-Antifolate Antibiotics: Clindamycin, Doxycycline, Azithromycin and Fosmidomycin

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Treatment and Prevention of Malaria

Part of the book series: Milestones in Drug Therapy ((MDT))

Abstract

A range of antibiotics, in addition to those that target folate metabolism, have demonstrated antimalarial activity. They include those belonging to the lincosamides, tetracyclines and macrolides classes and fosmidomycin, a derivative of phosphonic acid. Predominantly, they target pathways within the apicoplast, a relict plastid found in most apicomplexan parasites including Plasmodium. In general, they are not highly active against malarial parasites and are slow acting but are clinically useful when used in combination with other antimalarial drug classes. In addition, some are safe to use in pregnancy and for the treatment of small children. Here, we review the current understanding of their mechanisms of action and clinical use.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Peter Kremsner and David Hutchinson for useful discussion and the EDTCP (project code: IP.2008.31060.003) for financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Clinical Sciences, Centre for Infection and Immunology, St. George’s University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London, SW17 0RE, UK

    Sanjeev Krishna & Henry M. Staines

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  1. Sanjeev Krishna
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  2. Henry M. Staines
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Correspondence to Sanjeev Krishna .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Infection, Div. Cellular & Molecular Medicine, St. George's University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London, SW17 0RE, United Kingdom

    Henry M. Staines

  2. Medical School, Dept. Infectious Diseases, St. George´s Hospital, Cranmer Terrace, London, SW17 0RE, United Kingdom

    Sanjeev Krishna

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Krishna, S., Staines, H.M. (2011). Non-Antifolate Antibiotics: Clindamycin, Doxycycline, Azithromycin and Fosmidomycin. In: Staines, H., Krishna, S. (eds) Treatment and Prevention of Malaria. Milestones in Drug Therapy. Springer, Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0346-0480-2_8

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