Search results for "Trypanosomiasis"
showing 10 items of 22 documents
Development of Novel Peptide-Based Michael Acceptors Targeting Rhodesain and Falcipain-2 for the Treatment of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)
2017
This paper describes the development of a class of peptide-based inhibitors as novel antitrypanosomal and antimalarial agents. The inhibitors are based on a characteristic peptide sequence for the inhibition of the cysteine proteases rhodesain of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and falcipain-2 of Plasmodium falciparum. We exploited the reactivity of novel unsaturated electrophilic functions such as vinyl-sulfones, -ketones, -esters, and -nitriles. The Michael acceptors inhibited both rhodesain and falcipain-2, at nanomolar and micromolar levels, respectively. In particular, the vinyl ketone 3b has emerged as a potent rhodesain inhibitor (k2nd = 67 × 106 M-1 min-1), endowed with a picomolar b…
Analysis of DNA Polymerases Reveals Specific Genes Expansion in Leishmania and Trypanosoma spp.
2020
Leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis are largely neglected diseases prevailing in tropical and subtropical conditions. These are an arthropod-borne zoonosis that affects humans and some animals and is caused by infection with protozoan of the genera Leishmania and Trypanosoma, respectively. These parasites present high genomic plasticity and are able to adapt themselves to adverse conditions like the attack of host cells or toxicity induced by drug exposure. Different mechanisms allow these adapting responses induced by stress, such as mutation, chromosomal rearrangements, establishment of mosaic ploidies, and gene expansion. Here we describe how a subset of genes encoding for DNA polymerases …
The activity of Artemisia spp. and their constituents against Trypanosomiasis.
2018
Abstract Background Trypanosomiasis belongs to the neglected tropical diseases. Although standard therapies are available, the safety and efficacy of current synthetic drugs are limited due to the development of drug resistance and adverse side effects. Purpose Artemisia annua and artemisinin are not only active against Plasmodia, but also other protozoa. Therefore, we reviewed the literature on species of the genus Artemisia and their phytochemicals regarding their activity against trypanosomes. Study design A PubMed search for “Artemisia/Artemisinin and Trypanosoma” has been conducted for literature until December 2017. Results Interestingly, not only A. annua L. and its active principle,…
Targeting of the Leishmania Mexicana cysteine protease CPB2.8 ΔCTE by decorated fused benzo[b] thiophene scaffold.
2016
A potent and highly selective anhydride-based inhibitor of Leishmania mexicana cysteine protease CPB2.8ΔCTE (IC50 = 3.7 μM) was identified. The details of the interaction of the ligand with the enzyme active site were investigated by NMR biomimetic experiments and docking studies. Results of inhibition assays, NMR and theoretical studies indicate that the ligand acts initially as a non-covalent inhibitor and later as an irreversible covalent inhibitor by chemoselective attack of CYS 25 thiolate to an anhydride carbonyl.
Bistacrines as potential antitrypanosomal agents
2017
Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) is caused by two subspecies of the genus Trypanosoma, namely Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and Trypanosoma brucei gambiense. The disease is fatal if left untreated and therapy is limited due to only five non-adequate drugs currently available. In preliminary studies, dimeric tacrine derivatives were found to inhibit parasite growth with IC50-values in the nanomolar concentration range. This prompted the synthesis of a small, but smart library of monomeric and dimeric tacrine-type compounds and their evaluation of antiprotozoal activity. Rhodesain, a lysosomal cathepsin-L like cysteine protease of T. brucei rhodesiense is essential for parasite survival a…
Eight-Membered Rings With Two Heteroatoms 1,2
2022
The chapter titled “Eight-membered Rings with two Heteroatoms 1,2” deals with heterocine rings with two heteroatoms in a 1,2 relationship, namely 1,2-diazocine, 2H-1,2-oxazocine, 2H-1,2-thiazocine, 1,2-dioxocin, 1,2-oxathiocin and 1,2-dithiocin. This article covers the literature from 2007 to 2019 and reports the chemistry of uncondensed derivatives, heterocines fused to carbocycles and heterocycles, as well as bridged heterocines. As usual, in the case that a particular section is not mentioned, it means that no chemistry has been reported. In this article, the “Biosynthesis” paragraph was additionally introduced, since in the latest years the contribution of Nature to the synthesis of dih…
Promising trypanocidal heterocyclic compounds of natural origin and their synthetic analogs
2019
Abstract Diseases caused by members of the order Trypanosomatidae include human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) and Chagas disease, caused by species of Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma cruzi, respectively, as well as leishmaniasis, caused by various species of Leishmania spp. These infections belong to the so-called neglected tropical diseases group, which are a diverse group of communicable diseases that prevail in tropical and subtropical conditions in 149 countries and affect more than one billion people in addition to costing developing economies billions of dollars every year. The available pharmacotherapies for combatting these diseases are limited and associated with strong side eff…
Identification of highly effective antitrypanosomal compounds in essential oils from the Apiaceae family
2018
The Apiaceae family encompasses aromatic plants of economic importance employed in foodstuffs, beverages, perfumery, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Apiaceae are rich sources of essential oils because of the wealth of secretory structures (ducts and vittae) they are endowed with. The Apiaceae essential oils are available on an industrial level because of the wide cultivation and disposability of the bulky material from which they are extracted as well as their relatively cheap price. In the fight against protozoal infections, essential oils may represent new therapeutic options. In the present work, we focused on a panel of nine Apiaceae species (Siler montamon, Sison amomum, Echinophora spi…
Comparison of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and PCR for the diagnosis of infection with Trypanosoma brucei ssp. in equids in The Gamb…
2020
Introduction:\ud Infection of equids with Trypanosoma brucei (T. brucei) ssp. is of socioeconomic importance across sub-Saharan Africa as the disease often progresses to cause fatal meningoencephalitis. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) has been developed as a cost-effective molecular diagnostic test and is potentially applicable for use in field-based laboratories.\ud \ud Part I:\ud Threshold levels for T. brucei ssp. detection by LAMP were determined using whole equine blood specimens spiked with known concentrations of parasites. Results were compared to OIE antemortem gold standard of T. brucei-PCR (TBR-PCR).\ud \ud Results I:\ud Threshold for detection of T. brucei ssp. on …
Synthesis of 3-azabicyclo[3.2.2]nonanes and their antiprotozoal activities.
2015
Several bicyclic compounds, 3-azabicyclo[3.2.2]nonanes, have been prepared. The new compounds were tested for their activities against one strain of the causative organism of Malaria tropica, Plasmodium falciparum K1, which is resistant against chloroquine and pyrimethamine. In addition, their cytotoxicity and their activity against the pathogen of the East African form of sleeping sickness, Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, were investigated. Structure-activity relationships are discussed considering data of readily prepared compounds. For the first time, a distinct in vivo activity was observed against Plasmodium berghei in a mouse model. The active compound was further investigated.