Neurotoxin? Yes Please!

Continually firing nerve signals does not sound pleasant... but I don't particularly plan to contract Malaria. The only way to prevent Malaria seems to be by employing a cocktail of compounds.

1: Permethrin or 3-Phenoxybenzyl-(1RS)-cis,trans-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)
-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylate

Permethrin is an insecticide, and is a nerve agent towards insects. It kills the insect by causing nerve signals to constantly fire. It is also severely toxic to fish and cats. But apparently mammals can metabolise it efficiently. (Hmm, trying to reconcile those last 2 sentances) Taking this into account, we are planning to drape ourselves in clothes which have been soaked in the substance.

2: DEET or N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide

DEET is supposedly the strongest insect repellant out there, and we need to slather ourselves in lotions that contain 30% of the stuff. DEET can damage plastics, but apparently should be fine for our skin. (It is noted in the Medical book that concentrations over 50% are not recommended) DEET works by blocking the receptors in insects which they use to locate victims. Poor little mozzies, gonna be flying around "blind" and skitzed out!

And then of course there are the antimalarials. It seems the way to prevent malaria is to pretend like you have it and treat it... Our antimalarial drug of choice is Malorone. The two active ingredients are atovaquone and proguanil:

3: Atovaquone or 3-[4-(4-chlorophenyl)cyclohexyl]-
4-hydroxy-naphthalene-1,2-dione


4: Proguanil or 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-
2-(N'-propan-2-ylcarbamimidoyl) guanidine

Atovaquone interupts the energy prodution in the parasite. Proguanil inhibits the reproduction of the parasite once it is in the red blood cell.

Umm, thank you very much but I have no intention of letting those protazoa anywhere near my red blood cells!

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1. Wikipedia, 2008, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permethrin
2.Wikipedia 2008, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEET
3. & 4. Wikipedia 2008, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malarone