Role of plant secondary metabolites as potential antimalarial drugs

Malaria is a global problem affecting a large population without any demarcation between developed and developing world communities. The already approved compounds for the treatment of the disease hold significant efficacy but the emergence of resistant strains and reduced efficacy of drugs against the disease leave the scope for the identification of noval natural products as potential therapeutic agents. There are seven major classes of antiplasmodium agents which are plant secondary metabolites and can be used as a potential antimalarial drugs. In the present review, the focus is on the antimalarial compounds which have been isolated from plants which could be potentially used as antimalarial drugs.