Current approaches to discover marine antileishmanial natural products.
Leishmaniasis is a neglected infectious disease caused by kinetoplastid protozoans. An urgent need for novel chemotherapeutics exists. The current approaches to discover new antileishmanial compounds present many drawbacks, including high-cost and time-consuming bioassays. Thus, advances in leishmaniasis treatment are limited, and the development of screening assays is hindered. The combination of multidisciplinary approaches using standardised methods and synchronous projects could be an alternative to develop novel drugs for leishmaniasis treatment. In this review, we discuss the current status of leishmaniasis occurrence and treatment. In addition, we address the advantages and limitations of in vitro leishmaniasis bioassays and discuss the findings of drug discovery research using natural products. Finally, we comprehensively review the marine natural products that are active against Leishmania spp., including their natural sources and bioactivity profile.
Department of Parasitology, Laboratory of Applied Toxinology on Anti-parasitic Drugs, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. atempone@ial.sp.gov.br
André G
AG
Tempone
Camila
C
Martins de Oliveira
Roberto G S
RG
Berlinck
D000470:Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000737:chemistry*; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods; D001688:Biological Products / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045424:Complex Mixtures / Q000494:pharmacology; D055808:Drug Discovery / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007891:Leishmania / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D013729:Terpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology
D000470:Alkaloids; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D001688:Biological Products; D045424:Complex Mixtures; D010455:Peptides; D013729:Terpenes