Benefits similar to jackfruit for malaria

Based on information from the territory of Papua etnobotanik, Achmad Fuad Hafid and its team of Faculty of Pharmacy, Airlangga University, Surabaya, developing antimalarial drug from the bark extract similar to jackfruit. Research that began about 10 years ago it produced a synergistic fitofarmaka tablets in combination with other antimalarial drugs.

Antimalarial from bark similar to jackfruit (Artocarpus champeden Spreng) is an indigenous population of Papua. However, Achmad not refer to indigenous anti-malarial bark similar to jackfruit was at a certain tribe in Papua. Therefore, knowledge of benefits similar to jackfruit tree bark as antimalarial spread in Papua.

Achmad develop pharmacological research with stem bark extract similar to jackfruit and mix with 80 percent ethanol. Extracts then tested on mice infected animal malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei.

As a result, the extract could inhibit malaria parasite development by 80 percent. Research continues to determine the compound marker (markers) on the bark similar to jackfruit. Marker compounds is very important to establish standardization of materials similar to jackfruit tree bark. From the bark similar to jackfruit, teams get the active compound Morachalkon A.

"Similar to jackfruit exist everywhere in Indonesia. Time quotes and location also determines the content of the active compound in the bark, "he added in his office on Wednesday (26 / 1). He is currently the Head of Administration of the University of Airlangga (Airlangga University).

Together with a team of researchers from the Faculty of Pharmacy Airlangga University, namely Aty Widyawaruyanti and Wiwied Ekasari, Achmad researching bark similar to jackfruit from Papua, East Kalimantan and West Java.

Research carried out until the team get optimal point with healing benefits malaria tablets fitofarmaka bark ethanol extract similar to jackfruit, namely when antimalarial herbs can be combined with other antimalarial drugs, such as artemisinin or artesunat.

"The use of drug combinations recommended by the World Health Organization (World Health Organization / WHO) since a few years ago," he said.

WHO recommended antimalarial drug combinations with consideration, this time more easily and quickly place the alias immune resistance of malaria parasites to the drug-drug antidotes.

WHO determined resistance pattern, if a region has more than 25 percent were resistant to certain drugs. The drug was then advised not to be used within a certain period.

"The search range of active compounds as antimalarial is now increasingly required. Bark extract similar to jackfruit be an option, although this time can not be mass produced, "he said.

He is targeting, this antimalarial drug can be mass produced in 2014. During the remaining time, he will take care of patents (intellectual property) of this antimalarial herbal drug.

Drug program

Achmad said that herbal medicine is different antimalarial drugs, other herbal medicine. Most of the herbal medicine easily circulated after the stated completion clinic trials with experimental animals as a standardized herbal medicine (OHT).

Especially after herbal medicine through clinical trials on human patients become fitofarmaka, herbal medicine is more easily absorbed by the public.

"Antimalarial drugs should be a drug program that can not simply be produced and circulated to the community," he said.

According to him, the production of herbal medicine will be based on WHO recommendations and the government, in this case the Ministry of Health. Terms of antimalarial drugs as a drug program refers to the pattern of malaria parasite resistance to antimalarial drugs are now in circulation.

Resistance of malaria parasites initially known in 1961 against drug chloroquine in Thailand. In the following year is known in the United States, and since then spread throughout the world.

In Indonesia, the resistance to chloroquine is known in 1974 in the case of malaria in East Kalimantan. Resistance to various types of antimalarial drugs continues to grow.

The speed of resistance to antimalarial drugs depends on operational factors, such as determination of dose, patient adherence, pharmacologic factors, and factors of malaria transmission.

Chloroquine is the most widely used antimalarial. The price is relatively the most expensive with minimal side effects. However, benefits are reduced drastically due to chloroquine resistance.

Global Warming

Achmad said, the phenomenon of global warming contributed to the increase in the intensity of malaria. Global warming causes increased air humidity, increasing the proliferation of various types of insects, including mosquitoes. One is the female Anopheles mosquito as a vector (carrier) of malaria parasite that causes periodic chills fever sufferers.

"Antimalarial drugs similar to jackfruit tree bark showed the benefits of biodiversity richness that exists in Indonesia," he said.

Worldwide, malaria is estimated to now be able to infect 300 million people every year. Of this amount, 2 million-4 million people each year die from malaria.