2.2. Parasite Strain and In Vitro Culture. Chloroquineresistant
strain of Plasmodium falciparum (MRC-pf-303)
was obtained from the Malaria Parasite bank, maintained
by the National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi.
Parasites were cultured in human O+ washed erythrocytes
using standard protocols [13]. The parasite cultures were
synchronized by treatment with 5% D-Sorbitol [14]. A
tightly synchronized culture was obtained by two sorbitol
treatments that were carried out 12 h apart. The residual
schizonts were eliminated by resynchronization, 48 h after
the initial synchronization.