With this pill, your blood kills mosquitoes 🦟

Nitisinone, usually prescribed for metabolic disorders, kills mosquitoes when present in human blood.

Researchers have explored a new approach to combat malaria using nitisinone, a drug initially intended to treat rare metabolic diseases. This substance, by blocking an essential enzyme in mosquitoes, prevents them from digesting blood, leading to their rapid death. This discovery opens up prospects for a more sustainable and environmentally friendly method of controlling mosquito populations compared to traditional insecticides.


The research team compared the effectiveness of nitisinone to that of ivermectin, a commonly used antiparasitic drug. Nitisinone has the advantage of persisting longer in human blood, thereby increasing its duration of action against mosquitoes. This characteristic could make it a valuable tool in regions where resistance to ivermectin is a growing problem.

Tests were conducted with blood from patients treated with nitisinone for rare genetic diseases. The results showed that even at low doses, the drug was lethal to Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes, including those resistant to insecticides. This approach could reduce malaria transmission without increasing the selection pressure for insecticide resistance.

Nitisinone specifically targets blood-sucking insects, making it an ecological option for controlling disease vectors. Its use could also benefit patients with rare diseases by reducing the cost of the medication through increased production. This dual utility enhances interest in this molecule.

The next steps include trials in semi-natural conditions to determine optimal dosages. Researchers also plan to study the impact of nitisinone on other disease-carrying mosquito species. These efforts could lead to new integrated strategies for combating mosquito-borne diseases.

The study, published in Science Translational Medicine, was funded by several British institutions. It represents a significant advance in the search for innovative methods to fight malaria, a disease that continues to claim millions of victims worldwide each year.

How does nitisinone work against mosquitoes?

Nitisinone blocks the HPPD enzyme in mosquitoes, which is essential for digesting blood. Without this enzyme, mosquitoes cannot metabolize their blood meal, leading to their death. This mechanism differs from that of traditional insecticides, which typically target the nervous system of insects.

The specific action of nitisinone on blood-sucking mosquitoes makes it a targeted and potentially less harmful option for other species. This specificity also reduces the risk of developing resistance in mosquitoes, a major problem with current insecticides.

The persistence of nitisinone in human blood prolongs its lethal effect on mosquitoes, offering long-lasting protection after a single dose. This characteristic is particularly advantageous in areas where mosquitoes are endemic and repeated treatments are necessary.