The Development of Drugs against Acanthamoeba Infections.
For the past several decades, there has been little improvement in the morbidity and mortality associated with Acanthamoeba keratitis and Acanthamoeba encephalitis, respectively. The discovery of a plethora of antiacanthamoebic compounds has not yielded effective marketed chemotherapeutics. The rate of development of novel antiacanthamoebic chemotherapies of translational value and the lack of interest of the pharmaceutical industry in developing such chemotherapies have been disappointing. On the other hand, the market for contact lenses/contact lens disinfectants is a multi-billion-dollar industry and has been successful and profitable. A better understanding of drugs, their targets, and mechanisms of action will facilitate the development of more-effective chemotherapies. Here, we review the progress toward phenotypic drug discovery, emphasizing the shortcomings of useable therapies.
Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Malaysia.
Ruqaiyyah
R
Siddiqui
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Yousuf
Y
Aqeel
Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Malaysia naveed5438@gmail.com.
Naveed Ahmed
NA
Khan
D000048:Acanthamoeba / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D015823:Acanthamoeba Keratitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001393:Azoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D001645:Biguanides / Q000494:pharmacology; D000077336:Caspofungin; D002437:Cefazolin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D054714:Echinocandins / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D000069544:Infectious Encephalitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D055666:Lipopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D000077731:Meropenem; D010866:Natamycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D011112:Polymyxin B / Q000494:pharmacology; D013845:Thienamycins / Q000494:pharmacology
D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D001393:Azoles; D001645:Biguanides; D054714:Echinocandins; D055666:Lipopeptides; D013845:Thienamycins; C031233:polihexanide; D000666:Amphotericin B; D010866:Natamycin; D000077336:Caspofungin; D000077731:Meropenem; D002437:Cefazolin; D011112:Polymyxin B; D002710:Chlorhexidine