Paromomycin in the treatment of leishmaniasis.
BACKGROUND
The treatment options for leishmaniasis are limited. Most of the drugs available need parenteral administration, are toxic, require monitoring and have a prolonged treatment duration. All these factors increase the cost of the treatment. The development of resistance to pentavalent antimonials in patients with visceral leishmaniasis in North Bihar, India, has added another dimension to the problem.


OBJECTIVE
To summarise the pharmacological and clinical data on antileishmanial activity of paromomycin and discuss the impact this agent may have on present treatment regimens.


METHODS
A literature search on paromomycin and leishmaniasis was done on PubMed and through Google.


RESULTS
Paromomycin, with its excellent efficacy, low cost, shorter duration of administration and good safety profile, has the potential to be used as a first-line drug.
Sundar
Shyam
S
Banaras Hindu University, Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Medicine, Varanasi-221005, India. drshyamsundar@hotmail.com
Chakravarty
Jaya
J
D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007891:Leishmania / Q000187:drug effects*; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010303:Paromomycin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D010303:Paromomycin