Therapeutic targets in chagas disease

Abstract

Optimal pharmacotherapy occurs when we have selectivity and no toxicity. The discovery of specific pathways or enzymes that are vital forcell or parasite survival is also vital for the design of new specific, non-toxic drugs for the treatment of cancer, microbial or parasitic diseases. This chapter describes the main validated therapeutic targets in the research of new drugs for the treatment of Chagas' disease, such as cysteine proteases, ergosterol metabolic pathways, thiol-dependent mechanisms (trypanothione reductase), glycolytic pathways, transsialidase enzymes, the transport and metabolism of polyamines, among others, as well as examples from the scientific literature. This also includes what is already in clinical trials that involves the specified targets.