Trypanothione Reductase: A Target for the Development of Anti- Trypanosoma cruzi Drugs

Mini Rev Med Chem. 2017;17(11):939-946. doi: 10.2174/1389557517666170315145410.

Abstract

Background & objective: Chagas disease or American trypanosomiasis is a major parasitic disease in Latin America with restricted available treatment: nifurtimox and benznidazole. These two drugs are ineffective in the chronic phase of the disease; therefore, there is a need for the development of new, efficient and safe drugs for the treatment of this pathology. With this goal, one of the promising targets is trypanothione reductase (TR), a key enzyme in the metabolism of Trypanosoma cruzi.

Conclusion: In this review, we analyse the importance of TR as a drug target, as well as the well-known and new inhibitors reported in the last decade as potential therapeutic agents for Chagas disease.

Keywords: Chagas disease; Trypanosoma cruzi; drugs; inhibitors; target; trypanothione reductase.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chagas Disease / drug therapy*
  • Drug Delivery Systems*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Molecular Structure
  • NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases / metabolism*
  • Nifurtimox / chemistry
  • Nifurtimox / pharmacology
  • Trypanocidal Agents / chemistry*
  • Trypanocidal Agents / pharmacology
  • Trypanocidal Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / drug effects
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / enzymology*

Substances

  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Trypanocidal Agents
  • NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases
  • trypanothione reductase
  • Nifurtimox