Last Updated: 23/08/2024
Novel antimicrobial compounds as new therapeutic alternatives to control chemoresistant Plasmodium spp: validation of multistage antimalarial activity and investigation of mode of action
Objectives
*Original in Portuguese: Compostos antimicrobianos inéditos como novas alternativas terapêuticas ao controle de Plasmodium spp quimiorresistente: validação da atividade antimalárica multiestágio e investigação do modo de ação
Using a combination of in-house experiments and computational analysis of chemical space and structure compatibility, this project aims to carry out screenings with compounds that were initially developed to treat bacterial diseases such as tuberculosis and bacteria from the ESKAPE spectrum, as potential candidates for the treatment of malaria, seeking to identify the molecular targets of the most promising compounds.
Among endemic parasitic diseases, malaria is certainly the one that presents the greatest challenges in its control and treatment, with around 247 million cases around the globe in 2021, with prevalence in countries with socioeconomic complexities. This disease is caused by the protozoan of the genus Plasmodium spp., with P. vivax being the species responsible for the largest number of malaria cases in Brazil. Although chloroquine is the treatment adopted in most regions, the dissemination of strains of parasites resistant to this drug, as well as to other available antimalarial drugs, has highlighted the need for new therapeutic tools. Throughout history, several antimicrobial drugs have been used as treatments for malaria, and are still used in association with conventional antimalarial therapy. The investigation of antimicrobial agents as alternative approaches represents a source of both scaffolds for medicinal chemistry and the discovery of new molecules with antiparasitic potential. While interrogating their respective modes of action, the aim is to identify new molecular targets for the most promising compounds, in an attempt to avoid cross-resistance phenotypes established in clinical settings.
Apr 2024 — Mar 2028
