The carbonic anhydrase enzymes as new targets for the management of neglected tropical diseases

Diseases caused by protozoan parasites represent a huge challenge to global health care, due to the lack of selective and efficient treatments for the management and spreading of such complex pathologies. The protozoans Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) and Leishmania spp. are the etiological agents of the so-called neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), that is, Chagas disease (CD) and leishmaniasis, respectively. In such a context, the metalloenzymes carbonic anhydrases (CAs; EC 4.2.1.1) emerged as potential protozoan druggable enzymes, being involved in the parasites' life cycle. Several studies suggested the relevance of the protozoan-expressed CAs as future candidates for the management of NTDs.