N-acetyl penicillamine a protector of Plasmodium berghei induced stress organ injury in mice.

N-acetyl penicillamine (NAP), a derivative of penicillamine and copper chelator has been employed as a potential protector of host stress organ injury during Plasmodium berghei infection in mice. Intramuscular injection of NAP (60 mg kg-1 body wt for 10 days) to P. berghei mice was able to restrict the hepato- and splenomegaly. The mortality rate of infected mice was decreased by 50% by NAP. The decreased protein and lipid peroxidation and increased copper contents during P. berghei were almost normalized after NAP treatment. The increased levels of erythrocytic superoxide anion and lipid peroxides due to infection were almost normalized after NAP treatment.