Diatretol, an α, α'-dioxo-diketopiperazine, is a potent in vitro and in vivo antimalarial

A fungal metabolite, diatretol, has shown to be a promising antimalarial agent. Diatretol displayed potent in vitro antiparasitic activity against the Plasmodium falciparum K1 strain, with an IC(50) value of 378 ng ml(-1), as well as in vivo efficacy in a Plasmodium berghei-infected mice model, with ca. 50% inhibition at 30 mg/kg (p.o.).