Evaluation of target-specific natural compounds for drug discovery against Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease with no effective vaccine still now. Globally, it has affected millions of people, precisely in the undeveloped and developing countries. The control strategy for leishmaniasis depends only on chemotherapeutic methods that are associated with several side effects. Therefore, to overcome these negative impacts natural products are the best alternative for developing effective herbal-based drugs, which can act as one of the safest and effective alternative options to treat this particular disease. Leishmania, the causative agent of this disease possesses unique enzymes and metabolic pathways that are different from its mammalian host. Moreover, these unique enzymes, along with the signaling molecules and metabolic pathways that are crucial for its survival, serve as a suitable drug target for the evaluation of specific natural inhibitors to overcome leishmaniasis. Hence, in this review, we have discussed various specific targets of Leishmania, along with their natural inhibitors which can play a significant role in anti-leishmanial drug discovery.