Plasmepsin I (None)

Plasmepsin I (PMI) is an aspartic protease enzyme found in the digestive vacuole of the malaria parasite *Plasmodium falciparum*. It plays a critical role in the initial steps of hemoglobin degradation during the parasite's asexual blood stage, which is essential for providing amino acids necessary for parasite growth and survival. Inhibition disrupts nutrient acquisition; however, due to redundancy among food vacuole plasmepsins and falcipains, inhibiting only one enzyme often does not suffice—multiple enzymes must be targeted simultaneously for effective antimalarial action. Selective inhibitors have been developed that preferentially bind PMI over human homologs like cathepsin D, offering potential therapeutic avenues while minimizing host toxicity.

Other names

Aspartic hemoglobinase IPFAPG

Inhibition of aspartic protease activity, disruption of hemoglobin degradation