10.12.2012 Views

netLibrary - eBook Summary Structure-based Drug Design by ...

netLibrary - eBook Summary Structure-based Drug Design by ...

netLibrary - eBook Summary Structure-based Drug Design by ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Document<br />

Figure 1<br />

Available drugs for the treatment of human African trypanosomiasis.<br />

Page 366<br />

and suramin explain why they show poor oral absorption and do not cross the blood–brain barrier,<br />

making them unsuitable for the treatment of late-stage trypanosomiasis. Melarsoprol, an organoarsenical<br />

compound, was until 1990 the only drug effective in the late stage of both forms of trypanosomiasis.<br />

Unfortunately, it is also highly toxic, causing reactive encephalopathy in up to 10% of the patients, of<br />

which about one half die. This deadly complication is well known to villagers of areas where the disease<br />

is endemic and, ironically, discourages people from participating in diagnostic surveys. Eflornithine,<br />

heralded as the “resurrection drug” upon its introduction [7], cures patients infected with late-stage T.<br />

brucei gambiense but is ineffective against the more virulent rhodesiense form. Additionally, it causes<br />

bone marrow suppression in half of the patients and occasionally convulsions [6]. A serious concern is<br />

that resistance has been reported against each of the four antitrypanosomal drugs [1].<br />

http://legacy.netlibrary.com/nlreader/nlReader.dll?bookid=12640&filename=Page_366.html [4/5/2004 5:31:28 PM]

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!