The chemotherapy of rodent malaria, XXIV. The blood schizontocidal action of erythromycin upon Plasmodium berghei.

Erythromycin inhibits chloroquine-induced pigment clumping in Plasmodium berghei in vitro. The drug was therefore tested against infections of P. berghei in mice and was found to be active at non-toxic doses. Given orally, the stearate salt was more effective than the base, but subcutaneously the base was more effective than the stearate. Erythromycin potentiated the action of chloroquine against two chloroquine-resistant strains of rodent malaria, the mildly resistant NS, and the highly resistant RC strains of P. berghei, but not against the drug-sensitive N strain.