scholarly journals Screening Marine Natural Products for New Drug Leads against Trypanosomatids and Malaria

Marine Drugs ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 187 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Álvarez-Bardón ◽  
Yolanda Pérez-Pertejo ◽  
César Ordóñez ◽  
Daniel Sepúlveda-Crespo ◽  
Nestor M. Carballeira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Products ◽  
High Throughput Screening ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
World Health ◽  
World Population ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) represent a serious threat to humans, especially for those living in poor or developing countries. Almost one-sixth of the world population is at risk of suffering from these diseases and many thousands die because of NTDs, to which we should add the sanitary, labor and social issues that hinder the economic development of these countries. Protozoan-borne diseases are responsible for more than one million deaths every year. Visceral leishmaniasis, Chagas disease or sleeping sickness are among the most lethal NTDs. Despite not being considered an NTD by the World Health Organization (WHO), malaria must be added to this sinister group. Malaria, caused by the apicomplexan parasite Plasmodium falciparum, is responsible for thousands of deaths each year. The treatment of this disease has been losing effectiveness year after year. Many of the medicines currently in use are obsolete due to their gradual loss of efficacy, their intrinsic toxicity and the emergence of drug resistance or a lack of adherence to treatment. Therefore, there is an urgent and global need for new drugs. Despite this, the scant interest shown by most of the stakeholders involved in the pharmaceutical industry makes our present therapeutic arsenal scarce, and until recently, the search for new drugs has not been seriously addressed. The sources of new drugs for these and other pathologies include natural products, synthetic molecules or repurposing drugs. The most frequent sources of natural products are microorganisms, e.g., bacteria, fungi, yeasts, algae and plants, which are able to synthesize many drugs that are currently in use (e.g. antimicrobials, antitumor, immunosuppressants, etc.). The marine environment is another well-established source of bioactive natural products, with recent applications against parasites, bacteria and other pathogens which affect humans and animals. Drug discovery techniques have rapidly advanced since the beginning of the millennium. The combination of novel techniques that include the genetic modification of pathogens, bioimaging and robotics has given rise to the standardization of High-Performance Screening platforms in the discovery of drugs. These advancements have accelerated the discovery of new chemical entities with antiparasitic effects. This review presents critical updates regarding the use of High-Throughput Screening (HTS) in the discovery of drugs for NTDs transmitted by protozoa, including malaria, and its application in the discovery of new drugs of marine origin.

scholarly journals Neglected tropical diseases in Brazil

2009 ◽  
Vol 51 (5) ◽  
pp. 247-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Angelo L. Lindoso ◽  
Ana Angélica B.P. Lindoso
Keyword(s):  
Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
World Health ◽  
Tropical Diseases ◽  
The North ◽  
The World ◽  
The Status ◽  
Health Organization

Poverty is intrinsically related to the incidence of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). The main countries that have the lowest human development indices (HDI) and the highest burdens of NTDs are located in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Among these countries is Brazil, which is ranked 70th in HDI. Nine out of the ten NTDs established by the World Health Organization (WHO) are present in Brazil. Leishmaniasis, tuberculosis, dengue fever and leprosy are present over almost the entire Brazilian territory. More than 90% of malaria cases occur in the Northern region of the country, and lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis occur in outbreaks in a particular region. The North and Northeast regions of Brazil have the lowest HDIs and the highest rates of NTDs. These diseases are considered neglected because there is not important investment in projects for the development of new drugs and vaccines and existing programs to control these diseases are not sufficient. Another problem related to NTDs is co-infection with HIV, which favors the occurrence of severe clinical manifestations and therapeutic failure. In this article, we describe the status of the main NTDs currently occurring in Brazil and relate them to the HDI and poverty.

scholarly journals Use of Natural Products in Leishmaniasis Chemotherapy: An Overview

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luiza F. O. Gervazoni ◽  
Gabrielle B. Barcellos ◽  
Taiana Ferreira-Paes ◽  
Elmo E. Almeida-Amaral
Keyword(s):  
Natural Products ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
World Health ◽  
Parasitic Disease ◽  
Research Groups ◽  
Chemical Structures ◽  
Development Of Resistance ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Therapeutic Compounds

Leishmaniasis is an infectious parasitic disease that is caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania, a member of the Trypanosomatidae family. Leishmaniasis is classified by the World Health Organization as a neglected tropical disease that is responsible for millions of deaths worldwide. Although there are many possible treatments for leishmaniasis, these treatments remain mostly ineffective, expensive, and long treatment, as well as causing side effects and leading to the development of resistance. For novel and effective treatments to combat leishmaniasis, many research groups have sought to utilize natural products. In addition to exhibiting potential as therapeutic compounds, natural products may also contribute to the development of new drugs based on their chemical structures. This review presents the most promising natural products, including crude extracts and isolated compounds, employed against Leishmania spp.

Heterocycles in the Treatment of Neglected Tropical Diseases

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kush K. Maheshwari ◽  
Debasish Bandyopadhyay
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Heterocyclic Compounds ◽  
Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽  
World Health ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Poor People ◽  
Tropical Diseases ◽  
Concise Review ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

Background: Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect a huge population of the world and majority of the victims belong to the poor community of the developing countries. Until now, the World Health Organization (WHO) has identified 20 tropical diseases as NTDs that must be addressed with high priority. However, many heterocyclic scaffolds have demonstrated potent therapeutic activity against several NTDs. Objective: There are three major objectives: (1) To discuss the causes, symptoms, and current status of all the 20 NTDs; (2) To explore the available heterocyclic drugs, and their mechanism of actions (if known) that are being used to treat NTDs; (3) To develop general awareness on NTDs among the medicinal/health research community and beyond. Methods: The 20 NTDs have been discussed according to their alphabetic orders along with the possible heterocyclic remedies. Current status of treatment with an emphasis on the heterocyclic drugs (commercially available and investigational) has been outlined. In addition, brief discussion of the impacts of NTDs on socio-economic condition is included. Results: NTDs are often difficult to diagnose and the problem is worsened by the unhealthy hygiene, improper awareness, and inadequate healthcare in the developing countries where these diseases primarily affect poor people. The statistics include duration of suffering, numbers affected, and access to healthcare and medication. The mechanism of actions of various heterocyclic drugs, if reported, have been briefly summarized. Conclusion: Scientists and pharmaceutical corporations should allocate more resources to reveal the in-depth mechanism of actions of many heterocyclic drugs that are currently being used for the treatment of NTDs. Analysis of current heterocyclic compounds and development of new medications can help in the fight to reduce/remove the devastating effects of NTDs. An opinion-based concise review has been presented. Based on available literature, this is the first effect to present all the 20 NTDs and related heterocyclic compounds under the same umbrella.

scholarly journals Iodization of table salt and attitudes and habits in relation to the use of salt in general population

2010 ◽  
Vol 138 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 225-229
Author(s):  
Gorica Sbutega-Milosevic ◽  
Zorica Djordjevic ◽  
Zoran Marmut ◽  
Boban Mugosa
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Iodine Content ◽  
World Health ◽  
Nutritional Deficiencies ◽  
World Population ◽  
Table Salt ◽  
Salt Iodization ◽  
The World ◽  
Domestic Use ◽  
Health Organization

Introduction. Combating nutritional deficiencies of micronutrients, such as iodine, represents a priority task of health care organizations. In 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the publication: Global Prevalence of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD), according to which some 2,2 billion people live in areas poor in naturally occurring iodine. Approximately 13% of the world population suffer from goitre - one of the IDD. The recommended iodine content in table salt is 20-40 mg/kg, which should satisfy the daily iodine requirements of an adult. Objective. The authors sought to ascertain whether iodization of table salt in Montenegro was carried out in accordance with the existing legislature. An assessment was also carried out of the attitudes and habits of the population regarding the use of salt in nutrition and the level of awareness in relation to the relevance of table salt iodization. Methods. The research was carried out in 2004 and was sponsored by UNICEF. A sample of 594 homes from the municipalities of Bar and Podgorica was chosen: 354 homes from urban and 240 from rural areas. The participants completed a questionnaire related to the daily use and intake of salt, as well as their understanding of the relevance of table salt iodization. Iodine content was tested in 15 samples of table salt at production level, 170 samples at retail level and 126 samples taken from domestic use. Results. The analysis of table salt samples showed an optimal iodine level in 73.3% of samples from production, in 81.2% from retail, and in 73.0% from domestic use. A lower level of iodine was found in 8.8% retail samples and 15.1% samples from home use. A greater concentration of iodine was found in 26.7% production, 10.0% retail and 11.9% samples from domestic use. Conclusion. Although the application of the WHO programme has led to an improvement in iodization of table salt in Montenegro, both at production and retail levels, this still falls short of the standards recommended by WHO to combat IDD. The levels of iodine in table salt in domestic use also fail to comply with the WHO criteria for elimination of IDD.

scholarly journals Small Molecule Therapeutics for the Initial and Adjunctive Treatment of Snakebite

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tommaso C. Bulfone ◽  
Stephen P. Samuel ◽  
Philip L. Bickler ◽  
Matthew R. Lewin
Keyword(s):  
Small Molecule ◽  
Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽  
Hospital Setting ◽  
World Health ◽  
Adjunctive Treatment ◽  
Secretory Phospholipase A2 ◽  
Priority List ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Small Molecule Therapeutics

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently added snakebite envenoming to the priority list of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD). It is thought that ~75% of mortality following snakebite occurs outside the hospital setting, making the temporal gap between a bite and antivenom administration a major therapeutic challenge. Small molecule therapeutics (SMTs) have been proposed as potential pre-referral treatments for snakebite to help address this gap. Herein, we discuss the characteristics, potential uses and development of SMTs as potential treatments for snakebite envenomation. We focus on SMTs that are secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) inhibitors and metalloprotease (MP) inhibitors.

Bioactive Natural Medicinal Plants in South Indian Western Ghats and Their Pharmacological Importance

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 62-69
Author(s):  
M. Tamizharasi ◽  
R. Rajila ◽  
D. Beula Shiny ◽  
J. Vijila Jasmin ◽  
T. Kumaran
Keyword(s):  
Medicinal Plants ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
World Health ◽  
Plant Resources ◽  
Medical Products ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
South Indian ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

Awareness of traditional knowledge and medicinal plants can play a key role in the utilization and discovery of natural plant resources. Plants became the basis of medicine system throughout the world for thousands of years and continue to provide mankind with new remedies. Researchers generally agree that natural products from plants and other organisms have been the most consistently successful source for ideas for new drugs. The world health organization estimates that 80% of the population living in the developing countries relies exclusively on traditional medicine for their primary health care. More than half of the world's population still relies entirely on plants for medicines, and plants supply the active ingredients of most traditional medical products. The review shows the south Indian medicinal plant products has been used by people to treat various health ailments.

scholarly journals TB Elimination Requires Discovery and Development of Transformational Agents

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 2605 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Lienhardt ◽  
Mario C. Raviglione
Keyword(s):  
Rapid Detection ◽  
Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Drug Susceptibility ◽  
Drug Susceptibility Testing ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
World Health ◽  
Drug Resistant ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Combination Regimens

The World Health Organization (WHO) End Tuberculosis (TB) Strategy has set ambitious targets to reduce 2015 TB incidence and deaths by 80% and 90%, respectively, by the year 2030. Given the current rate of TB incidence decline (about 2% per year annually), reaching these targets will require new transformational tools and innovative ways to deliver them. In addition to improved tests for early and rapid detection of TB and universal drug-susceptibility testing, as well as novel vaccines for improved prevention, better, safer, shorter and more efficacious treatments for all forms of TB are needed. Only a handful of new drugs are currently in phase II or III clinical trials, and a few combination regimens are being tested, mainly for drug-resistant TB. In this article, capitalising on an increasingly rich medicine pipeline and taking advantage of new methodological designs with great potential, the main areas where progress is needed for a transformational improvement of treatment of all forms of TB are described.

scholarly journals The Central Role of Non-Structural Protein 1 (NS1) in Influenza Biology and Infection

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 1511 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nícia Rosário-Ferreira ◽  
António J. Preto ◽  
Rita Melo ◽  
Irina S. Moreira ◽  
Rui M. M. Brito
Keyword(s):  
Viral Disease ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
World Health ◽  
World Population ◽  
Structural Protein ◽  
Human Respiratory Tract ◽  
Host Interactions ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

Influenza (flu) is a contagious viral disease, which targets the human respiratory tract and spreads throughout the world each year. Every year, influenza infects around 10% of the world population and between 290,000 and 650,000 people die from it according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Influenza viruses belong to the Orthomyxoviridae family and have a negative sense eight-segment single-stranded RNA genome that encodes 11 different proteins. The only control over influenza seasonal epidemic outbreaks around the world are vaccines, annually updated according to viral strains in circulation, but, because of high rates of mutation and recurrent genetic assortment, new viral strains of influenza are constantly emerging, increasing the likelihood of pandemics. Vaccination effectiveness is limited, calling for new preventive and therapeutic approaches and a better understanding of the virus–host interactions. In particular, grasping the role of influenza non-structural protein 1 (NS1) and related known interactions in the host cell is pivotal to better understand the mechanisms of virus infection and replication, and thus propose more effective antiviral approaches. In this review, we assess the structure of NS1, its dynamics, and multiple functions and interactions, to highlight the central role of this protein in viral biology and its potential use as an effective therapeutic target to tackle seasonal and pandemic influenza.

scholarly journals Fighting Strategies Against the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic: Impact on Global Economy

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bapi Gorain ◽  
Hira Choudhury ◽  
Nagashekhara Molugulu ◽  
Rajani B. Athawale ◽  
Prashant Kesharwani
Keyword(s):  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
World Health ◽  
World Population ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Short Period ◽  
The World ◽  
Treatment Measures ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization

Sudden outbreak of a new pathogen in numbers of pneumonic patients in Wuhan province during December 2019 has threatened the world population within a short period of its occurrence. This respiratory tract–isolated pathogen was initially named as novel coronavirus 2019 (nCoV-2019), but later termed as SARS-CoV-2. The rapid spreading of this infectious disease received the label of pandemic by the World Health Organization within 4 months of its occurrence, which still seeks continuous attention of the researchers to prevent the spread and for cure of the infected patients. The propagation of the disease has been recorded in 215 countries, with more than 25.5 million cases and a death toll of more than 0.85 million. Several measures are taken to control the disease transmission, and researchers are actively engaged in finding suitable therapeutics to effectively control the disease to minimize the mortality and morbidity rates. Several existing potential candidates were explored in the prevention and treatment of worsening condition of COVID-19 patients; however, none of the formulation has been approved for the treatment but used under medical supervision. In this article, a focus has been made to highlight on current epidemiology on the COVID-19 infection, clinical features, diagnosis, and transmission, with special emphasis on treatment measures of the disease at different stages of clinical research and the global economic influence due to this pandemic situation. Progress in the development on vaccine against COVID-19 has also been explored as important measures to immunize people. Moreover, this article is expected to provide information to the researchers, who are constantly combating in the management against this outbreak.

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