Recent advances and new strategies on leishmaniasis treatment.

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol

Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, 35400-000, Brazil.

Published: November 2020

AI Article Synopsis

  • * Current treatments mainly include a small number of drugs, and the low investment in new therapies hampers effective control efforts.
  • * Innovative strategies such as immunomodulation, nanotechnology, and drug repurposing are needed to improve leishmaniasis treatment options and address these challenges.

Article Abstract

Leishmaniasis is one of the most important tropical neglected diseases according to the World Health Organization. Even after more than a century, we still have few drugs for the disease therapy and their great toxicity and side effects put in check the treatment control program around the world. Moreover, the emergence of strains resistant to conventional drugs, co-infections such as HIV/Leishmania spp., the small therapeutic arsenal (pentavalent antimonials, amphotericin B and formulations, and miltefosine), and the low investment for the discovery/development of new drugs force researchers and world health agencies to seek new strategies to combat and control this important neglected disease. In this context, the aim of this review is to summarize new advances and new strategies used on leishmaniasis therapy addressing alternative and innovative treatment paths such as physical and local/topical therapies, combination or multi-drug uses, immunomodulation, drug repurposing, and the nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems.Key points• The treatment of leishmaniasis is a challenge for global health agencies.• Toxicity, side effects, reduced therapeutic arsenal, and drug resistance are the main problems.• New strategies and recent advances on leishmaniasis treatment are urgent.• Immunomodulators, nanotechnology, and drug repurposing are the future of leishmaniasis treatment.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00253-020-10856-wDOI Listing

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