{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,11]],"date-time":"2026-08-11T21:28:42Z","timestamp":1786483722426,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,1]],"date-time":"2026-01-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1767225600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/pages\/standard-publication-reuse-rights"}],"funder":[{"name":"2023 Young Scientists Program","award":["JC-2023-33"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["JC-2023-33"]}]},{"name":"Scientific Research and Development for Doctoral Graduates","award":["68-2020-FIED19-R1-007"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["68-2020-FIED19-R1-007"]}]},{"name":"National Secretary of Science and Technology of Panama"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,12]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Synopsis<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Malaria remains a critical global health challenge, worsened by the emergence of drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum strains. Marine macroalgae offer an underexplored chemical space for novel treatments; however, previous efforts have primarily focused on organic solvent extractions, leaving the potential of sustainable, water-soluble preparations overlooked. This study evaluated the antimalarial activity and safety of aqueous extracts from pelagic Sargassum fluitans and S. natans obtained from seasonal strandings along the Caribbean coast of Panama. Algal species were taxonomically identified, and aqueous extracts were prepared at 50\u00b0C. In vitro antiplasmodial activity was evaluated against the P. falciparum HB3 strain using the PicoGreen assay and thin blood smear microscopy, while cytotoxicity was assessed in Vero epithelial cells via the MTT assay. Both extracts demonstrated a significant concentration-dependent inhibition of parasite growth, reaching up to 97.35% for S. fluitans and 96.37% for S. natans at 10% v\/v. Microscopic observation confirmed pronounced parasitic morphological alterations without compromising host erythrocyte integrity. Crucially, the extracts displayed low cytotoxicity in Vero cells, with negligible growth inhibition (0\u20138%) at the lowest concentration tested (1.25% v\/v). These findings suggest the presence of selective, water-soluble bioactive compounds, validating pelagic Sargassum biomass as a promising, accessible natural candidate for antimalarial drug discovery and sustainable biotechnological development.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1093\/icb\/icag108","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,3]],"date-time":"2026-07-03T13:20:02Z","timestamp":1783084802000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Antimalarial Activity of\n                    <i>Sargassum fluitans<\/i>\n                    and\n                    <i>Sargassum natans<\/i>\n                    Stranded Along the Caribbean Coast of Panama"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"66","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2113-5361","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Noem\u00ed Le\u00f3n","family":"Correoso","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Investigaci\u00f3n de Criobiolog\u00eda, Universidad de Panam\u00e1 , Panama City 0824-3366 ,","place":["Panama"]},{"name":"Centro Educativo Crist\u00f3bal Ad\u00e1n De Urriola, Ministerio de Educaci\u00f3n , Arraij\u00e1n, Panam\u00e1 Oeste 1001 ,","place":["Panama"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Isaac","family":"Almanza","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro Educativo Crist\u00f3bal Ad\u00e1n De Urriola, Ministerio de Educaci\u00f3n , Arraij\u00e1n, Panam\u00e1 Oeste 1001 ,","place":["Panama"]},{"name":"Facultad de Ciencias M\u00e9dicas y Cl\u00ednicas, Universidad Especializada de las Am\u00e9ricas (UDELAS), Albrook , Panama City 084901 ,","place":["Panama"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lorena","family":"Coronado","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Molecular and Cellular Biology of Diseases, Instituto de Investigaciones Cient\u00edficas y Servicios de Alta Tecnolog\u00eda (INDICASAT AIP), Clayton, City of Knowledge , Panama City 0843-01103 ,","place":["Panama"]},{"name":"Sistema Nacional de Investigaci\u00f3n (SNI), SENACYT , Panama City 0816-02852 ,","place":["Panama"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"286","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026081116420315800_bib1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"330","DOI":"10.1186\/s12936-024-05158-9","article-title":"Emerging threat of artemisinin partial resistance markers (pfk13 mutations) in Plasmodium falciparum parasite populations in multiple geographical locations in high transmission regions of Uganda","volume":"23","author":"Agaba","year":"2024","journal-title":"Malar J"},{"key":"2026081116420315800_bib2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9467359","DOI":"10.1155\/2020\/9467359","article-title":"Antimalarial activity of crude extract and solvent fractions of the leaves of Bersama abyssinica Fresen. 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