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Prospects for rational approaches to anthelmintic discovery
D P Thompson1, R D Klein, T G Geary
1Pharmacia Upjohn, Co., Kalamazoo, MI 49001, USA.
Parasitology
|January 1, 1996
Summary
Discovering new anthelmintics involves screening for compounds targeting specific helminth proteins, particularly in the neuromusculature. Mechanism-based screening offers a rational approach to identify novel drug targets for treating parasitic worm infections.
Area of Science:
- Parasitology
- Neurobiology
- Drug Discovery
Background:
- Anthelmintic drugs often target helminth neuromusculature, exploiting differences from vertebrate hosts.
- Neurobiology is a key distinguishing feature between helminths and their hosts.
- Existing anthelmintics demonstrate the potential of targeting helminth neurobiology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review mechanism-based screening strategies for anthelmintic discovery.
- To highlight the neuromusculature as a critical target area for new anthelmintics.
- To discuss the potential of novel targets identified through recent research.
Main Methods:
- Focus on mechanism-based screening approaches.
- Review of existing anthelmintics targeting helminth neuromusculature.
- Integration of findings from comparative pharmacology and molecular biology.
Main Results:
- Neuromuscular targets are underexploited in current anthelmintic chemotherapy.
- Comparative pharmacology and molecular biology reveal new potential targets.
- The C. elegans genome project provides insights for target identification.
Conclusions:
- Mechanism-based screening is a rational strategy for anthelmintic discovery.
- The helminth neuromusculature remains a promising area for novel drug development.
- Advancements in genomics and molecular biology offer new opportunities for identifying drug targets.