A Therapeutic update on Cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Area of Science:

• Parasitology
• Dermatology
• Tropical Medicine

Background:

• Leishmaniasis, encompassing visceral (VL), cutaneous (CL), and mucocutaneous (MCL) forms, affects millions globally, with CL presenting as treatment-resistant skin ulcers.
• Current therapeutic options for CL, including pentavalent antimonials and amphotericin B, exhibit limitations such as unsatisfactory efficacy, parenteral administration, toxicity, and high costs.
• Existing oral and topical treatments have shown inconsistent results, often evaluated in small, non-controlled studies lacking standardized cure definitions, highlighting a critical need for improved interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current landscape of chemotherapy for leishmaniasis.
• To explore emerging research avenues and potential future applications for novel anti-leishmanial agents.
• To address the unmet medical need for effective and safe leishmaniasis treatments.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of existing literature on leishmaniasis chemotherapy.
• Analysis of current treatment modalities, including established drugs and investigational therapies.
• Evaluation of research trends and future directions in anti-leishmanial drug development.

Main Results:

• Pentavalent antimonials, while widely used, demonstrate suboptimal responses and require parenteral administration.
• Amphotericin B shows high activity but is associated with significant toxicity and cost barriers.
• Oral and topical agents have yielded inconsistent outcomes, underscoring the limitations of current treatment strategies.
• A significant gap exists in effective, well-tolerated, and universally applicable treatments for cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Conclusions:

• There is a pressing need for the development of new anti-leishmanial drugs with improved efficacy and safety profiles.
• Continued research into novel therapeutic strategies is essential to overcome treatment challenges in leishmaniasis.
• Future anti-leishmanial therapies hold promise for addressing the global burden of this neglected tropical disease.