UNAIR NEWS –Malaria disease carried by vectorAnopheles sp.听females infect many residents in the tropics including Indonesia.听Diseases caused by this type ofPlasmodium parasitehas been widely treated.听However, this parasite has developed resistance to certain drugs.
Dr. Wiwied Ekasari, M.Si., Apt, 51动漫 pharmaceutical expert developed an antimalarial drug by extracting the ingredients contained in the Johar plant (Cassia siamea lamk).听Her research journey began when one of his seniors told about the efficacy of Johar leaves which is often used by Indonesian independence combatants to avoid malaria during guerrilla war in the jungle.
“The soldier was ordered by his commander to drink the juice of Johar leaves.听Water juice is often used to reduce heat and malaria.听It is evident as when they drank the juice of leaf, they are not infected by malaria, “said the lecturer of the Faculty of Pharmacy.
Even before 2000, Wiwied examined the benefits of Johar’s plant to complete her thesis.听There are many compounds contained in Johar plants, but the lecturer of Anatomic Practice of Plant Morphology chose to use a fraction containing the compoundof cassiarin A tostop the infection caused by.听female Anopheles sp mosquitoes.
The reason, the compoundcassiarin Ais the most active compound in crippling malaria.
In the course of her research, the lecturer of Department of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry compared the effectiveness ofcassiarin Acompoundswith chloroquine.听Chloroquine is a drug commonly used as an antimalarial.听However, the malaria-causing parasite has been resistant to chloroquine.听As a replacement, malaria patients now consume artemisinin as a standard drug.
Using the regulations set by the World Health Organization (WHO), Wiwied combines two active ingredients to treat malaria.听Lecturer of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry Department combined fractions containing active compoundcassiarin Awith artemesinin.
“The combination with artemesinin is better than just artemesinin alone.听So there are many opportunities for Johar to be a combination of drugs.听WHO recommends, antimalarial drugs do not stand alone in order to avoid resistance, “said Wiwied.
Wiwied mentioned, there are three working mechanisms produced by the combination of both active ingredients.听First, the combination of these two active ingredients inhibit the endocytosis of red blood cells into vacuoles to nourish the parasite.听Second, it inhibits the degradation of globin into amino acid proteins.听Third, it inhibits the change from the detoxification ofhemetohemozoin.
“Of course, in the end, the parasite causes malaria to die with a combination of two active ingredients,” explained the author of TOGA Indonesia, published in 2016.
Currently, together with the Health Research and Development Agency (Balitbangkes) of Ministry of Health of Republic Indonesia, Wiwied is researching the maximum dose of the compound fraction ofcassiarin Awhich can kill the parasite causing malaria.
“We are adjusting the dose so it won檛 exceed the safe limit,” she added.
To Achieve Independence
According to Wiwied, one of the advantage of antimalarial herbal medicine being studied is the availability of Johar plants.听The raw materials can be found in all parts of Indonesia.听However, it does the opposite to the availability of raw artemisinin materials.听Raw artemisinin material cannot be found in Indonesia.
“Artemesinin is not from our plants.听It’s from China.听Hence, we (Indonesia) continue to import it.听By using Johar, it is hoped the medicine is original from us.听We make our own medicine from our own plants.听Natural resources are available and supported by qualified human resources, “said Wiwied.
In addition, Wiwied research may also be an alternative if the malaria vector are resistant to standard drugs currently used by WHO.听Wiwied said, although the case of resistance to drug artemisinin has not occurred in Indonesia, but this case has occurred in Asia.听One of them is Thailand.
The case of drug resistance is due to deregulation of the drug distribution program to the public.听In addition, the government needs to be aware of the case on resistance due to the high mobility of the population.
“But, the transmission by mosquitoes happens so fast because they breed and infect travelers.听They can spread anywhere while the artemesinin has not found the replacement.听Especially in Indonesia there are still people who need medicine.听Hence, we studied antimalarial from Johar because almost all regions have this plant, “said the researcher born in Surabaya, January 22, 1969.
Wiwied added that after the maximum dose of research is found, in 2018 it will hold the domestic industry to conduct a series of clinical trials in humans.听Over the next three years, Wiwied hopes that the anti-malaria drug she developed can be distributed and used by people living in the endemic area of malaria, including Indonesia.
Author: Defrina Sukma S
Editor: Nuri Hermawan
