Comparative antimalarial activities of six pairs of 1,2,4,5-tetraoxanes (peroxide dimers) and 1,2,4,5,7,8-hexaoxonanes (peroxide trimers)

Six tetraoxanes had 50% inhibitory concentrations in the range of 10 to 100 ng/ml against Plasmodium falciparum, whereas the corresponding hexaoxonanes had minimal antimalarial activity. The lack of ironmediated reactivity of the hexaoxonanes may explain their low activity compared to the tetraoxanes, the latter of which are able to undergo iron (II)-mediated activation.