A review of current treatment strategies based on cisplatin for leishmaniosis.

Abstract

Neglected tropical diseases as termed by World Health Organization include a group of 20 diverse infectious diseases in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Amongst these diseases, high mortality rate is mostly associated with Chagas disease and leishmaniosis due to limited drugs, severe toxicity caused by the available drugs and drug resistance. The above hitches have triggered the researchers to focus on the development of novel alternative therapeutics. Studies reveal that several target-based drugs have emerged which affect the biochemical pathways of the causative parasite. An anti-cancerous molecule and its derivatives might be used as antiprotozoal agents due to biochemical similarities affecting DNA metabolism. Cisplatin is a widely used drug for the treatment of testicular, ovarian, head and neck cancers, melanoma, lymphomas and several others. It exerts anticancer activity via multiple mechanisms but most effective mechanism is binding with DNA, formation of intrastrand and interstrand cross-links and generation of DNA lesions. However, side effects of cisplatin limit its application and effectiveness in the cancer treatment. Moreover, to minimize the side effects of cisplatin, combination therapies are used and have proven to be effective against cancers. Thus, current review is aimed at highlighting potential of cisplatin alone and in combination therapies as an antileishmanial agent.