A Review on Plasmodium falciparum-Protein Farnesyltransferase Inhibitors as Antimalarial Drug Targets

Background: Protein farnesyltransferase (PFT) inhibitors have emerged as a potent target for the malaria treatment caused by the Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) parasite. Objective: To explore the various scaffolds which are active against Pf-PFT target. Result: Seven inhibitor scaffolds based on ethylenediamine, peptidomimetic, benzophenone, benzamide, tetrahydroquinoline, naphthyridine and oxy-tetrahydroquinoline, have been developed till date. Conclusion: It is concluded that naphthyridine based drugs are the most promising one. Furthermore, introducing the hydrophobic molecules like isoprenyl groups to a protein or a chemical compound facilitate protein-protein and protein-membrane interactions thereby makes them good candidates as new therapeutics. The future research should focus on the disease rather than the infection and the dynamics of its transmission; this will bring a new vision about the disease.