PRIMACENES: novel non-cytotoxic primaquine-ferrocene conjugates with anti-Pneumocystis carinii activity

Primacenes, novel ferrocene–primaquine conjugates, were synthesized and screened for their antimalarial and anti-pneumocystis activity. Primacenes obtained by coupling primaquine amino acid derivatives to ferrocenoic acid were significantly active against Pneumocystis carinii and devoid of cytotoxicity, thus being more selective than the parent drug.