Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a disease that ranges in severity from skin lesions to serious disfigurement and fatal systemic infection. WHO estimates that the disease results in 2 million new cases a year, threatens 350 million people in 88 countries and that there are 12 million people currently infected worldwide. Current treatment is based on chemotherapy, which relies on a handful of drugs with serious limitations such as high cost, toxicity, difficult route of administration and lack of efficacy in endemic areas. Pentavalent antimonials have been the mainstay of antileishmanial therapy for over 70 years with second line drugs, Amphotericin B and Pentamidine, used in case of antimonial failure. Since the introduction of miltefosine at the beginning of this century, no new antileishmanial compounds have been approved for human treatment. Leishmaniasis is considered one of a few parasitic diseases likely to be controllable by vaccination. However, to date no such vaccine is available despite substantial efforts by many laboratories. The development of a safe, effective and affordable antileishmanial vaccine is a critical global public-health priority. This review outlines the current status of vaccine development and looks at the currently available chemotherapy as well as examples of drugs in development and different approaches to antileishmanial drug discovery and identification of novel antiparasitic compounds.
Keywords: Leishmaniasis, antileishmanial drugs, antileishmanial vaccine, immunology, chemotherapy, drug target
Current Medicinal Chemistry
Title: Leishmaniasis: Current Treatment and Prospects for New Drugs and Vaccines
Volume: 16 Issue: 5
Author(s): Lukasz Kedzierski, Anuratha Sakthianandeswaren, Joan M. Curtis, Philip C. Andrews, Peter C. Junk and Katherine Kedzierska
Affiliation:
Keywords: Leishmaniasis, antileishmanial drugs, antileishmanial vaccine, immunology, chemotherapy, drug target
Abstract: Leishmaniasis is a disease that ranges in severity from skin lesions to serious disfigurement and fatal systemic infection. WHO estimates that the disease results in 2 million new cases a year, threatens 350 million people in 88 countries and that there are 12 million people currently infected worldwide. Current treatment is based on chemotherapy, which relies on a handful of drugs with serious limitations such as high cost, toxicity, difficult route of administration and lack of efficacy in endemic areas. Pentavalent antimonials have been the mainstay of antileishmanial therapy for over 70 years with second line drugs, Amphotericin B and Pentamidine, used in case of antimonial failure. Since the introduction of miltefosine at the beginning of this century, no new antileishmanial compounds have been approved for human treatment. Leishmaniasis is considered one of a few parasitic diseases likely to be controllable by vaccination. However, to date no such vaccine is available despite substantial efforts by many laboratories. The development of a safe, effective and affordable antileishmanial vaccine is a critical global public-health priority. This review outlines the current status of vaccine development and looks at the currently available chemotherapy as well as examples of drugs in development and different approaches to antileishmanial drug discovery and identification of novel antiparasitic compounds.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Kedzierski Lukasz, Sakthianandeswaren Anuratha, Curtis M. Joan, Andrews C. Philip, Junk C. Peter and Kedzierska Katherine, Leishmaniasis: Current Treatment and Prospects for New Drugs and Vaccines, Current Medicinal Chemistry 2009; 16 (5) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/092986709787458489
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/092986709787458489 |
Print ISSN 0929-8673 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-533X |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Advances in Medicinal Chemistry: From Cancer to Chronic Diseases.
The broad spectrum of the issue will provide a comprehensive overview of emerging trends, novel therapeutic interventions, and translational insights that impact modern medicine. The primary focus will be diseases of global concern, including cancer, chronic pain, metabolic disorders, and autoimmune conditions, providing a broad overview of the advancements in ...read more
Approaches to the treatment of chronic inflammation
Chronic inflammation is a hallmark of numerous diseases, significantly impacting global health. Although chronic inflammation is a hot topic, not much has been written about approaches to its treatment. This thematic issue aims to showcase the latest advancements in chronic inflammation treatment and foster discussion on future directions in this ...read more
Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Non-Infectious Inflammatory Diseases: Focus on Clinical Implications
The Special Issue covers the results of the studies on cellular and molecular mechanisms of non-infectious inflammatory diseases, in particular, autoimmune rheumatic diseases, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and other age-related disorders such as type II diabetes, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, etc. Review and research articles as well as methodology papers that summarize ...read more
Chalcogen-modified nucleic acid analogues
Chalcogen-modified nucleosides, nucleotides and oligonucleotides have been of great interest to scientific research for many years. The replacement of oxygen in the nucleobase, sugar or phosphate backbone by chalcogen atoms (sulfur, selenium, tellurium) gives these biomolecules unique properties resulting from their altered physical and chemical properties. The continuing interest in ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
Immunotherapy of Kidney Cancer
Current Clinical Pharmacology A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials Examining the Nephroprotective Properties of Antihypertensive Medications
Current Hypertension Reviews Role of the Peroxynitrite - Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase Pathway in the Pathogenesis of Liver Injury
Current Pharmaceutical Design Scintigraphic Imaging of Inflammatory Processes
Current Medicinal Chemistry - Anti-Inflammatory & Anti-Allergy Agents Purinergic Signalling and Endothelium
Current Vascular Pharmacology Influence of Dietary Substances on Intestinal Drug Metabolism and Transport
Current Drug Metabolism Recent Advances in the Management of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Current Respiratory Medicine Reviews Emergence in Pyrazolines: Synthetic and Biological Perspective
The Natural Products Journal Non-viral Gene Delivery and Therapeutics Targeting to Brain
Current Nanoscience Chemotherapy and Delivery in the Treatment of Primary Brain Tumors
Current Clinical Pharmacology Dural Venous Sinuses: What We Need to Know
Current Medical Imaging Advances in L-Type Calcium Channel Structures, Functions and Molecular Modeling
Current Medicinal Chemistry Inhibitors of 5α-Reductase in the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Current Pharmaceutical Design Acute Myocarditis in Children: An Overview of Treatment and Recent Patents
Recent Patents on Inflammation & Allergy Drug Discovery The Cytotoxicity of Titanocene Y Against CAKI-1 Cells: An In Vitro Formulation Study
Letters in Drug Design & Discovery Entry of Oximes into the Brain: A Review
Current Medicinal Chemistry Disease Modification in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis-Current and Emerging Targets and Therapeutics
Current Medicinal Chemistry - Immunology, Endocrine & Metabolic Agents Screening, Evaluation, and Early Management of Acute Aortic Dissection in the ED
Current Cardiology Reviews Inflammation and Anemia
Anti-Inflammatory & Anti-Allergy Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Stenting and Prevention of Ischemic Stroke
Current Drug Targets