Kayser O, Kiderlen AF, Laatsch H, Croft SL (2001): In vitro leishmanicidal activity of monomeric and dimeric naphthoquinones
Acta Trop. 77: 307-314.

A series of monomeric and dimeric naphthoquinones with potential for treatment of Leishmania infections was identified in vitro using both a direct cytotoxicity assay against extracellular promastigotes of Leishmania donovani, L. infantum, L. enriettii and L. major, and a test against intracellular amastigotes of L. donovani residing within murine macrophages. Several naphthoquinones proved to be active at concentrations in the microgram range (EC₅₀= 0.9-17.0 mg/ml). When tested against a panel of human cancer cell lines (KB, SKMel, A549, MDA) and murine bone marrow culture-derived macrophages (BMMPHi) as mammalian host cell controls, compounds with anti-Leishmania activity showed moderate (EC₅₀ >25 mg/ml) to pronounced (EC₅₀ <10 mg/ml) toxic effects.