Multicomponent Crystal Systems of Known Antimalarial Drug Molecules.

Potential drug molecules are often discarded due to poor physicochemical properties and pharmacokinetic profiles. As such, research into the use of multicomponent crystal systems (such as salts and co-crystals) is currently being conducted with the aim of improving the properties of the molecule, without altering the bioactivity of the drug. Although numerous studies have been performed on a wide variety of drug molecules, research with antimalarial drug molecules seems to have been neglected. With many of the current drugs becoming inactive due to resistance, there is an urgent need to find effective drugs with good pharmacokinetic profiles. The objective of this review is therefore to determine the extent to which multicomponent crystal systems have been used in antimalarial chemotherapy and whether this method provides a viable alternative to discarding potential drug candidates.