Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum)

Plasmodium falciparum is a unicellular protozoan parasite and the most lethal species of Plasmodium that infects humans, causing the most severe form of malaria known as falciparum malaria. It is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. It's the causative agent of nearly all fatal cases of malaria. While not a direct molecular target itself, it is the organism that drugs target, and its proteins and pathways are the actual drug targets (e.g., PfNCR1).

Other names

Falciparum malaria parasiteMalaria parasite

Varies depending on the specific drug; examples include inhibition of parasite enzymes (e.g., dihydrofolate reductase), disruption of heme polymerization, and interference with electron transport.