Abstract: 　Objective To study the effect of anticoagulants based on sodium citrate on the growth activity of malaria parasites. Methods The parasites were treated with 3 anticoagulants (ACD, CD and SC), respectively, and the parasitemia was determined to measure the effect of the anticoagulants on the growth of the parasites. Unsynchronized Plasmodium falciparum was treated with the anticoagulants at different concentrations for 3h at 37℃. Treated erythrocytes were mixed with normal parasites or treated parasites with normal erythrocytes, which was followed by parasitemia determination of the two cultures to determine the cell target of the anticoagulants. Stage-synchronized parasites (ring, trophozoite and schizont) were treated as above to investigate the stage target. P.berghei was also treated with anticoagulants and inoculated in mice to detect the effect of anticoagulants on the animal malaria parasite by counting the parasitemia. Results all 3 anticoagulants inhibited falciparum parasite growth and ACD had the strongest potency. The treatments of the erythrocyte and the parasite with anticoagulants respectively showed that the anticoagulants targeted the parasites rather than normal erythrocytes. Stage-synchronized parasite treatment suggested anticoagulants primarily inhibited schizonts. The effect of anticoagulants on P.berghei was similar to that on P.falciparum. Conclusion ACD showed the most significant inhibitive effect on the growth of malaria parasites and SC was the best anticoagulant based on sodium citrate for malarial experiments.

Key words: Plasmodium spp., Growth activity, Anticoagulant, Sodium citrate