Leishmaniasis is considered as one of the most Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in the world, caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania. Leishmaniasis control profoundly depends upon chemotherapy which includes pentavalent antimonials, paromomycin, pentamidine, amphotericin B and miltefosine. Miltefosine is the only oral drug used for the treatment of Visceral Leishmaniasis with high cure rate but decrease in susceptibility is observed in countries like India where it is extensively used. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop novel antileishmanial agents with good potency and better therapeutic profile. Manzamines are unique group of β-carboline alkaloids isolated from marine sponges and exhibited potent antileishmanial activity. In the present study, we described antileishmanial activity, cytotoxicity and structure activity relationship of natural manzamine alkaloids.
Keywords: Alkaloids; Chemotherapy; Cytotoxicity; Neglected diseases.
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