Activity of Aromathecins against African Trypanosomes.

African sleeping sickness is responsible for thousands of deaths annually, and new therapeutics are needed. This study evaluated aromathecins, experimental inhibitors of mammalian topoisomerase IB, against African trypanosomes. The compounds had selectively toxic antiparasitic potency, poisoning activity against the phylogenetically unique topoisomerase in these parasites, and a representative compound intercalated into DNA with micromolar affinity.