SciDev.Net

Thursday, 26 November 2009

Health: Drug development

Definitions

Malaria

Below is a directory of terms used to talk about malaria. Most definitions have been taken from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

A

Antimicrobial agents

The drugs, chemicals, or other substances that kill or slow the growth of microbes. They include antibacterial drugs, antiviral agents, antifungal agents, and antiparasitic drugs.

Antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance is the result of microbes changing in their DNA to reduce or eliminate the effectiveness of drugs, chemicals, or other agents to cure or prevent infections.

Artemisinin

The WHO's recommended drug for malaria, derived from the Chinese sweet wormwood plant, Artemisia annua.

C

Chemoprophylaxis

Taking antimalarial drugs to prevent the disease.

Chloroquine

A drug used against malaria. A very safe and inexpensive drug, its value has been compromised by the emergence of chloroquine-resistant malaria parasites.

D

Drug resistance

Drug resistance is the result of microbes changing in ways that reduce or eliminate the effectiveness of drugs, chemicals, or other agents to cure or prevent infections.

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