Antiparasitic effect of a fraction enriched in tight-binding protease inhibitors isolated from the Caribbean coral Plexaura homomalla

- Plexaura homomalla extract inhibits Cruzipain and Falcipain 2 in the nanomolar range.
- An inhibitor-enriched fraction is active against cysteine(CP) and aspartyl proteases.
- CP inhibitors represent >90% of total inhibitory activity in enriched fraction.
- Inhibitor-enriched fraction reduces infection and replication of Trypanosoma cruzi.
- Inhibitor-enriched fraction also inhibits the replication of Plasmodium falciparum.