Date of Award

Spring 2025

Document Type

Thesis

College

College of Natural and Health Sciences

Primary Advisor

Dr. Sheila Abraham

Abstract

Malaria has shown to be a threatening disease to half of the population of the world, with currently 241 million cases reported. Malaria treatments have yet to be completely effective due to their ability and resistance to antimalarial drugs Plasmodium falciparum has developed, making it challenging to help treat this disease. RTS, S/AS01 has been shown to act on the pre-erythrocytic stage of malaria, targeting the circumsporozoite protein of Plasmodium falciparum expressed by the malaria parasite during this stage. At the same time, Cryptolepsis Sanguinolenta has been shown to have 90% inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum K1 growth. They have both been used to treat malaria; however, their combination has not yet been tested. The present study aims to evaluate the synergistic effect of RTS, S/AS01, and Cryptolepsis Sanguinolenta to reduce the levels of parasitemia after the proposed treatment while providing an alternative combination less likely to develop resistance since two mechanisms of action and two different biochemical targets are addressed through this combination. The effects of Cryptolepsis Sanguinolenta on the immune modulation induced by RTS, S/AS01 are also being tested.

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