Despite the advances in malarial chemotherapy, malaria remains a devastating disease in several parts of the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. There is currently a great concern that the Plasmodium species will soon develop total resistance to existing antimalarial drugs due to recent reports of increasing resistance of the parasite to drugs, including the newly introduced artemisinin-based compounds, in many endemic areas. In addition, the mosquito vector has also developed resistance against the insecticides. Also, the high cost, along with the adverse effects associated with some of the existing drugs, limits their usefulness in malarial treatment. Given the above, there is currently an urgent need to search for novel and more efficacious drugs to combat the disease.

Natural products, including medicinal plants, have been used in the traditional treatment of malaria for thousands of years due to their efficacy, safety, lower cost, and availability. In fact, medicinal plants are the source of the two most successful antimalarial drugs, artemisinin and quinine. Studies into the antimalarial activity of natural products (extracts and compounds) derived from medicinal plants, animals, or micro-organisms therefore become quite expedient.

The aim of this special issue is to present important studies, both original research and review articles, on the investigation of the antimalarial potentials of natural product derived extracts or compounds. Articles on the use of herbs in combination with drugs for the treatment of malaria are also welcomed.

We invite investigators to submit original research articles and reviews to this special issue.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Antiplasmodial activity studies (in vitro or in vivo) of the extracts or compounds from plants, animals, or micro-organisms
• The isolation of antimalarial principles of natural products
• The mode of action of compounds or extracts having antiplasmodial activity
• Adverse effect of antimalarial natural products
• The in silico design of natural compounds with antiplasmodial activity
• Novel formulations for delivery of antimalarial extracts or compounds from natural sources