Use of liposomal nanoformulations in antileishmania therapy: challenges and perspectives.

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease treatable and curable, however, the chemotherapeutic agents for their treatment are limited. In South American countries, pentavalent antimonials are still the first line of treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis with an efficacy of about 75%, but the toxicity of the drug causes serious side effects and remains as the main obstacle for treatment. New knowledge aimed to improve drug delivery into the intracellular environment is essential, especially for drugs currently used in the clinic, to develop new anti-Leishmania formulations. In the present study, we analysed the scientific literature to highlight the progress achieved in the last decade regarding the use of nanotechnology for improving the current leishmaniasis treatments. Results allowed us to conclude that the encapsulated Glucantime liposomal formulation can be improved by means of nanoparticle functionalization processes, resulting in new drug delivery systems that can be potentially proposed as alternative therapies for leishmaniasis treatment.

• Authors: Jair Téllez, Maria Clara Echeverry, Ibeth Romero, Andrea Guatibonza, Guilherme Santos Ramos, Ana Carolina Borges De Oliveira, Frédéric Frézard, Cynthia Demicheli
• Journal: Journal of liposome research (J Liposome Res) Vol. 31 Issue 2 Pg. 169-176 (Jun 2021) ISSN: 1532-2394 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 32228210 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antiprotozoal Agents
• Liposomes

Topics

• Antiprotozoal Agents (therapeutic use)
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Humans
• Leishmaniasis (drug therapy)
• Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous (drug therapy)
• Liposomes (therapeutic use)
• Nanoparticles