Dikhyaa Mohanty 
In a major breakthrough in the battle against malaria, a city-based scientist has identified a promising drug which can play a crucial role in preventing fatalities due to the vector-borne disease.
The drug in question is – Griseofulvin, an antifungal drug that’s being widely used for the treatment of fungal infections in children and adults, said Dr Vishwanathan Arun Nagraj, Senior Scientist, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar.
In a conversation with Ommcom News, Dr Nagraj said that Griseofulvin has been successful in the ‘mice model’ to prevent deaths caused due to cerebral and severe malaria.
“If it passes the human trials, in future, Griseofulvin can be used as an adjunct drug along with WHO-approved Artemisinin treatment for cerebral and severe malaria caused by the parasite – plasmodium falciparum,” Dr Nagraj said.
Currently, the administration of Artemisinin along with partner drugs (to prevent resistance), is one of the most effective and widely used treatments for cerebral and severe malaria, worldwide.
