Publication: Evaluation of the effect of beta-caryophyllene on digestive vacuole pH in plasmodium falciparum
| dc.contributor.author | Ting, Tan Yi | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-11-10T02:01:01Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-11-10T02:01:01Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2026-01 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Malaria is a severe and potentially fatal disease caused by Plasmodium species. The emergence and spread of drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum in endemic regions has intensified the need for antimalarial agents targeting alternative biological pathways. Beta-caryophyllene (BCP), a plant-derived sesquiterpene, has been reported to exhibit antimalarial activity. However, its effect on the pH of the parasite’s digestive vacuole (DV) has not been previously investigated. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the antimalarial activity of BCP and to determine its effect on DV pH in P. falciparum. The antimalarial potential of BCP against the chloroquine-sensitive P. falciparum 3D7 strain was assessed by microscopic determination of parasitaemia using Giemsa-stained thin blood smears. BCP exhibited promising antimalarial activity with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 4.3 μM. A flow cytometry-based technique with fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FITC-dextran) as a pH-sensitive ratiometric probe was used to quantify the DV pH. Mid-trophozoite stage malaria parasites grown in resealed erythrocytes containing FITC-dextran were treated with different concentrations of BCP based on the IC50 value. Parasites permeabilised with saponin were analysed to determine the ratio of green to yellow fluorescence intensity (Rgy), which was plotted against pH in a calibration curve for FITC-dextran. According to the pH calibration curve, the pH of the DV of the BCP-treated parasites was significantly changed (pH values ranged from 6.44–7.34) in a concentration-dependent manner compared to the untreated parasites (pH = 5.20) (p <0.001). This study provides a clue into the potential of BCP as a suitable compound for future antimalarial drug development. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://erepo.usm.my/handle/123456789/25334 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.title | Evaluation of the effect of beta-caryophyllene on digestive vacuole pH in plasmodium falciparum | |
| dc.type | Resource Types::text::thesis::bachelor thesis | |
| dspace.entity.type | Publication | |
| oairecerif.author.affiliation | Universiti Sains Malaysia |