Antimony antiparasitic effect

In 1912, however, (201) it was discovered that espundia (American mucocutaneous leishmaniasis) can be cured by tartar emetic. It was soon learned that kala-a2ar (visceral leishmaniasis) and oriental sore (a cutaneous form of the disease occurring in the Middle East) also respond to antimonial therapy, especially when compounds of pentavalent antimony are employed. Treatment of leishmaniasis with the latter type of antimonials is safe and effective in over 90% of the cases (202). In 1918, it was demonstrated that tartar emetic is of value in the treatment of schistosomiasis (203). Pentavalent antimonials proved to be less effective. The introduction of antimony compounds for the treatment of parasitic diseases is undoubtedly one of the important milestones in the history of therapeutics (see Antiparasitic agents). 

There remains an urgent need for new effective antiparasitic agents, an area of drug development that has languished because of poor economic return. The spread of resistance to chloroquine (an antimalaria treatment) is one reason for attention to be paid to this area, as well as the sheer numbers of people affected. Antimony compounds (43) and (44) (Figure 20) are used to treat... 

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