Pyronaridine (PND) is a potent antimalarial compound developed in China over 40 years ago. It inhibits the growth of P. falciparum during the asexual stage and early gametocyte stages (I and II) with an IC50 value of approximately 10 nM. PND is highly effective against artemisinin-resistant malaria and can be used in combination therapy, particularly with the artemisinin derivative, artesunate . PND, alone or in combination with artesunate, prevents recrudescence of parasites. Resistance to pyronaridine may be linked to genetic variations in the P. falciparum multidrug resistance protein 1.
