%0 Journal Article
%T Recent Advances in the Chasing for Organic Compounds with Potential Anti-Leishmania Activity [Progressos Recentes na Pesquisa de Compostos Organicos com Potencial Atividade Leishmanicida]
%A Ana C. Micheletti
%A Adilson Beatriz
%J Revista Virtual de Qu¨ªmica
%D 2012
%I Sociedade Brasileira de Qu¨ªmica
%X Infectious diseases that predominantly affect people in poorer nations, such as leishmaniasis, dengue, malaria and Chagas¡¯ disease, have been ignored by the pharmaceutical companies and, therefore, are often referred to as neglected disease and tend to be left out of the modern process of drug discovery. Leishmaniasis comprises a spectrum of diseases that affect humans and other mammals in tropical and subtropical regions of the earth, and are caused by at least 20 kinds of parasites belonging to the genus Leishmania, with diverse and complex clinical manifestations. They occur in more than 88 nations, and Brazil is one of the most important endemic countries, sharing with India, Sudan, Nepal and Bangladesh about 90% of cases of visceral leishmaniasis, which is a progressive and fatal disease. The treatment for this illness includes the administration of highly toxic drugs, such as pentavalent antimonials, amphotericin B and pentamidine, setting it in a weak therapeutic arsenal, with reports of development of resistance. This review article aims to highlight recent contributions of the chemistry science in the development of new compounds with leishmanicidal properties, including a discussion of the results of the last two years, related to natural and synthetic compounds, as well as indication of new therapeutic targets and innovations in current therapies.
%K Neglected disease
%K leishmaniasis
%K organic synthesis
%K natural products.
%U http://www.uff.br/RVQ/index.php/rvq/article/view/238/224