Advances in the treatment of Chagas disease: Promising new drugs, plants and targets

• Published in: Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy 2021-10, Vol.142, p.112020-112020, Article 112020
• Main Authors: García-Huertas, Paola, Cardona-Castro, Nora
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Chagas disease; Chagas Disease - drug therapy; Chagas Disease - parasitology; Drug Development - methods; Drug repurposing; Drug Resistance; Humans; Medicine, Traditional - methods; Molecular Targeted Therapy; New treatments; Nifurtimox - therapeutic use; Nitroimidazoles - therapeutic use; Plant Preparations - pharmacology; Promising plants; Therapeutics target; Trypanocidal Agents - pharmacology; Trypanosoma cruzi; Trypanosoma cruzi - drug effects
• ISSN: 0753-3322; 1950-6007
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.112020

Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is treated with only two drugs; benznidazole and nifurtimox. These drugs have some disadvantages, including their efficacy only in the acute or early infection phases, adverse effects during their use, and the resistance that the parasite has developed to their activity. Therefore, it is necessary to identify new, safe and effective therapeutic alternatives to treat Chagas disease, though governments and the pharmaceutical industry have shown a lack of interest in contributing to this solution. Institutions and research groups on the other hand have worked on some strategies that can help to address the problem. Some of these include the modification of conventional drug dosages, drug repurposing, and combined therapy. Plants and derived compounds with antiparasitic effects have also been studied, taking advantage of traditional medicinal knowledge. Others have studied the parasite to identify essential genes that can be used as therapeutic targets to design new, targeted drugs. Some of these studies have generated promising results, but few reach clinical phase studies. Institutions and research groups should be encouraged to unify efforts and cover all aspects of drug development according to resources and knowledge availability. In the end, this exchange of knowledge would lead to the development of new therapeutic alternatives to treat Chagas disease and benefit the populations it affects. [Display omitted] •Drug repurposing and medicinal plants are a potential source of therapeutic options.•Biological processes of T. cruzi are a source of therapeutic targets for drug design.•Despite efforts, the treatment of Chagas disease continues without an effective solution.•Institutions and research groups should be encouraged to cover all drug development.