Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Institute of Biological and Natural Sciences of Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Department of Bioscience and Technology, Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health, Federal University of Goias, Goiania, GO, Brazil.
Curr Med Chem. 2022;29(26):4547-4573. doi: 10.2174/0929867329666220225111052.
Leishmaniasis, a cutaneous, mucocutaneous, or visceral parasitic disease caused by the protozoa of the genus Leishmania, is responsible for approximately 20-40 thousand deaths annually, with Brazil, India, and certain countries in Africa being the most affected. In addition to the parasite's ability to evade the host's immune system, the incidence of vectors, genetics of different hosts, and several deaths are attributed to the limited conventional treatments that have high toxicity, low effectiveness, and prolonged therapeutic regimens. Thus, the development of new alternative therapeutic strategies remains warranted. Metallic nanoparticles, such as gold, silver, zinc oxide, and titanium dioxide, have shown promising therapeutic tools since they are easily prepared and chemically modified, have a broad spectrum of action and low toxicity, and can generate reactive oxygen species and other immune responses. This review explores the progress of the use of metallic nanoparticles as new tools in the treatment of leishmaniasis and discusses the gaps in knowledge hindering the development of a safe and effective therapeutic intervention against these infections.
利什曼病是一种由利什曼原虫引起的皮肤、黏膜或内脏寄生虫病，每年导致约 2 万至 4 万人死亡，巴西、印度和非洲的一些国家受影响最为严重。除了寄生虫逃避宿主免疫系统的能力外，媒介的发病率、不同宿主的遗传因素以及一些死亡病例归因于毒性高、疗效低且治疗方案漫长的有限传统治疗方法。因此，仍然需要开发新的替代治疗策略。金属纳米粒子，如金、银、氧化锌和二氧化钛，由于易于制备和化学修饰，具有广谱作用和低毒性，并且可以产生活性氧和其他免疫反应，因此已成为有前途的治疗工具。本综述探讨了将金属纳米粒子作为治疗利什曼病的新工具的应用进展，并讨论了阻碍针对这些感染开发安全有效的治疗干预措施的知识空白。
