Drug Developments of Schistosomiasis

Abstract

Background: Praziquantel is the primary drug for schistosomiasis. Therefore, drug development for treating schistosomiasis is needed. Several drug candidates are available. These include such as arachidonic acid (ARA) and Allium sativum Linnaeus. Objectives: In this study, the author reports the progress in a study of schistosomiasis that focused on drug development, which include arachidonic acid and arthemeter as objectives of this study. Methodology: The author searched the PMC Database and PubMed Database on prevention of schistosomiasis. All were at National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The author also searched Google and ScienceDirect for schistosomiasis articles. All articles were free unrestricted open access and in English. Results: There are several drug candidates for treating schistosomiasis. These include ARA, arthemeter, mefloquine, and antimonial drugs. For example, ARA decreases Schistosoma haematobium and S. mansoni worm burdens. Allium sativum is active against Schistosoma and intermediate host such as Oncomelania hupensis. A second pathogen may be used for treating schistosomiasis. For example, Salmonella typhimurium could ameliorate the severity of schistosomiasis. Conclusion: Drug candidates for treating schistosomiasis consist of such as arachidonic acid and Allium sativum. These drug candidates can kill schistosmes. A second pathogen as S. typhimurium may be helpful for eliminating schistosomiasis.