Recent Progress in Thiazole, Thiosemicarbazone, and Semicarbazone Derivatives as Antiparasitic Agents Against Trypanosomatids and Plasmodium spp.

Abstract

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), including Chagas disease, human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), leishmaniasis, and malaria, remain a major global health challenge, disproportionately affecting low-income populations. Current therapies for these diseases suffer from significant limitations, such as reduced efficacy, high toxicity, and emerging parasite resistance, highlighting the urgent need for new therapeutic strategies. In response, substantial efforts have been directed toward the synthesis of new molecules with improved potency, selectivity, and pharmacokinetic profiles. However, despite many of these compounds exhibiting favorable ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) profiles and strong in vitro activity, their translation into in vivo models remains limited. Key challenges include the lack of investment, the absence of fully representative experimental models, and difficulties in extrapolating cell-based assay results to more complex biological systems. In this review, we analyzed the latest advancements (2019-2024) in the development of these compound classes, correlating predictive parameters with their observed biological activity. Among these parameters, we highlighted the partition coefficient (LogP), which measures a compound's lipophilicity and influences its ability to cross biological membranes, and Caco-2 cell permeability, an in vitro model widely used to predict intestinal drug absorption. Additionally, we prioritized the most promising molecules and structural classes for pharmaceutical development, discussing structure-activity relationships (SARs) and the remaining challenges that must be overcome to enable the clinical application of these compounds in the treatment of NTDs.