Deepak Pradhan։ Can Withaferin-A Help Combat Drug-Resistant Malaria?
Deepak Pradhan, Assistant Professor at Siksha o Anusandhan University, shared a post on LinkedIn about a recent article he and his colleagues co-authored, published in Pharmacological Research – Natural Products, adding:
” Excited to share my latest research, now published in Pharmacological Research – Natural Products (Elsevier)!
‘Preliminary evaluation of oxidative stress responses to withaferin-A in Plasmodium-infected erythrocytes and computational target screening’
Malaria remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, and growing resistance to frontline artemisinin therapies makes the hunt for new antimalarial strategies more urgent than ever.
In this study, we investigated withaferin-A – a bioactive steroidal lactone from Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) – as a potential weapon against the malaria parasite.
Key highlights:
- Withaferin-A triggered oxidative stress (ROS) responses in Plasmodium-infected red blood cells, pointing to a redox-driven mechanism of action.
- Computational target screening identified promising parasite targets, offering mechanistic clues to how this phytochemical disrupts parasite survival.
- Together, the findings position withaferin-A as a promising natural lead worth advancing against drug-resistant malaria.
This work continues our lab’s mission to bridge traditional medicinal plants with modern pharmacology and computational drug discovery.
Heartfelt thanks to my co-authors – Prativa Biswasroy, Dilip Kumar Pradhan, Manish Ramchandani, Goutam Ghosh, Goutam Rath, and Durga Madhab Kar – and to the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt. of India, for supporting this research.”
Title: Preliminary evaluation of oxidative stress responses to withaferin-A in Plasmodium-infected erythrocytes and computational target screening
Authors: Deepak Pradhan, Prativa Biswasroy, Dilip Kumar Pradhan, Manish Ramchandani, Goutam Ghosh, Goutam Rath, Durga Madhab Kar
Stay updated on all scientific advances with Hemostasis Today.
-
Aug 16, 2026, 10:31Erhabor Osaro: Critical Issues to Consider During the Clinical Blood Transfusion Process
-
Aug 16, 2026, 10:14Juan Manuel Cisneros Carrasco: The Architects Behind the Blood Donation System
-
Aug 16, 2026, 10:06Honoring the Life and Legacy of Dr. Reed Pyeritz – GADA Canada
-
Aug 16, 2026, 09:51Javier Amador-Castañeda: When a 32 Percent Reduction Tells Only Part of the Story
-
Aug 16, 2026, 09:33Anıl Güneş: The Unseen Threat – How Global Climate Change Impacts Cardiovascular Health
-
Aug 16, 2026, 09:09Robert John Nesbitt: Can We Prevent Stroke Without Increasing Bleeding Risk
-
Aug 16, 2026, 06:19Dennis Wolf: Is ZEUS the End of Anti-Inflammatory Therapy in Atherosclerosis?
-
Aug 16, 2026, 06:05Nicolas Hubacz: A New Target for Stroke Recovery
-
Aug 15, 2026, 19:30José Luis Neyro: E4 and DRSP Reduce Hirsutism While Showing Comparable Effects on Thrombin Generation