Abstract Antimalarial resistance is currently the greatest challenge to the effective treatment of malaria globally. In this work, 3-(4-nitrophenyl)-1-phenylprop-2-ene-1-one, as well as the Fe(III), Ni(II) and Mn(II) complexes of 3-(4-nitrophenyl)-1-phenylprop-2-ene-1-one were synthesized and characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) and melting point analysis. The obtained yields of the Fe(III), Ni(II) and Mn(II) complexes of 3-(4-nitrophenyl)-1-phenylprop-2-ene-1-one are 56.9%, 52.2% and 49.3%, respectively. The uncomplexed 3-(4-nitrophenyl)-1-phenylprop-2-ene-1-one as well as the Fe(III), Ni(II) and Mn(II) complexes of 3-(4-nitrophenyl)-1-phenylprop-2-ene-1-one were subjected to in-vitro antimalarial screening using Plasmodium berghii cysteine enzyme inhibition assay at concentrations of 1000 ug/ml, 500 ug/ml, and 250 ug/ml. 3-(4-nitrophenyl)-1-phenylprop-2-ene-1-one shows promising activity for inhibiting the cysteine enzymes. The antimalarial activity of Fe(III) and Mn(II) complexes of 3-(4-nitrophenyl)-1-phenylprop-2-ene-1-one was found to be much higher that of 3-(4-nitrophenyl)-1-phenylprop-2-ene-1-one. However, the Ni(II) complex of 3-(4-nitrophenyl)-1-phenylprop-2-ene-1-one did not show enhanced antimalarial activity.
Keywords 3-(4-nitrophenyl)-1-phenylprop-2-ene-1-one, metal complex, malaria, synthesis, characterization.