RESUMO
BACKGROUND: In vitro and in vivo testing of new technology was performed to evaluate the antiplasmodial activity of Photonic Multiphase Modulators (PMM) in cultures and in mice previously infected with Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium berghei parasites. METHODS: Cultures of P. falciparum infected-erythrocytes were exposed overnight to two generations of different APSE™ and BioPhoton-X™ PMM (C#1, R#1, R#2, D8 and D9). Growth of parasites was determined through flow cytometry or microscopy. Mice of the strain C57BL/6 were infected and treated with water exposed to second-generation APSE™ and BioPhoton-X™ PMM plus one previously untested first-generation PMM (AGN10). Parasitemia and weight loss were monitored throughout the infection until death or point of euthanasia was reached. After death, necropsy was performed on all animals and the number of days each survived was recorded. RESULTS: In vitro and in vivo testing using different APSE™- and BioPhoton-X™-designed PMM revealed an effect of D8 in lowering the growth of the parasite in vitro, while the best effect in mice was observed with D9 PMM, with a reduced weight loss and an increase in survival, although the results in lowering the parasitemia were inconclusive. D9 PMM did not generate ROS in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: APSE™ and BioPhoton-X™ optic circuit technologies can affect the growth of parasites and show protective effects in mice drinking from water treated with their PMM.