Mechanism-based design of parasite-targeted artemisinin derivatives: synthesis and antimalarial activity of benzylamino and alkylamino ether analogues of artemisinin.

Several artemisinin derivatives linked to benzylamino and alkylamino groups were synthesized in order to enhance accumulation within the malaria parasite. The in vitro antimalarial activity was assessed against the chloroquine sensitive HB3 strain and the chloroquine resistant K1 strain of Plasmodium falciparum. In general the incorporation of amino functionality enhances the activity relative to artemisinin. The most potent analogue in the series was compound 6 which was severalfold more active than artemisinin against both strains of P. falciparum used in the study.