Selective accumulation of rhodacyanine in plasmodial mitochondria is related to the growth inhibition of malaria parasites

Fluorescent rhodacyanines, which display antimalarial activity in vitro and in vivo, stain plasmodial parasites at the erythrocytic stage. A good correlation between the antimalarial activity and the accumulation of the dyes is observed. A fused-rhodacyanine, which displays a strong fluorescent property itself, was designed as a new probe for plasmodial parasites. It appears to be specifically localized in the parasitic mitochondria.