title: Drug resistance in leishmaniasis: current drug-delivery systems and future perspectives.
abstract: Leishmaniasis is a complex of diseases with numerous clinical manifestations for instance harshness from skin lesions to severe disfigurement and chronic systemic infection in the liver and spleen. So far, the most classical leishmaniasis therapy, despite its documented toxicities, remains pentavalent antimonial compounds. The arvailable therapeutic modalities for leishmaniasis are overwhelmed with resistance to leishmaniasis therapy. Mechanisms of classical drug resistance are often related with the lower drug uptake, increased efflux, the faster drug metabolism, drug target modifications and over-expression of drug transporters. The high prevalence of leishmaniasis and the appearance of resistance to classical drugs reveal the demand to develop and explore novel, less toxic, low cost and more promising therapeutic modalities. The review describes the mechanisms of classical drug resistance and potential drug targets in Leishmania infection. Moreover, current drug-delivery systems and future perspectives towards Leishmaniasis treatment are also covered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Masoom
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yasinzai
authors.forename: Momin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Akhtar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nadhman
authors.forename: Gul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shahnaz
mesh_terms: D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D004351:Drug Resistance / Q000187:drug effects; D004655:Emulsions / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008081:Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004655:Emulsions; D008081:Liposomes; D011108:Polymers