TNF and malaria: In the present study, the mRNA expressions of TNF-α and IFN-γ in both CLN and liver tissues were notably risen in the infected mice with C48/80 treatment at 9 days p.i. compared with the infected controls; whereas the levels of TNF-α and IFN-γ in both examined tissues were decreased in the infected mice treated with DSCG at 9 days p.i. It was reported that IFN-γ acted as a central cytokine protected against pre-erythrocytic and blood-stage Plasmodium parasites (McCall and Sauerwein, 2010), and TNF-α played a crucial role in promoting malaria parasite killing (Randall and Engwerda, 2010).