Fighting Parasitic Flatworms: A New Hope in Medical Research
Parasitic flatworms known, as flukes or trematodes, are responsible for some of the most debilitating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affecting billions of people worldwide.
Schistosomiasis, caused by blood flukes, is a significant health risk in many tropical regions. Fascioliasis, caused by liver flukes, impacts both livestock and humans, leading to severe economic and health problems. Compounding these issues, current treatments like praziquantel (PZQ) have limitations.
“Although praziquantel is pretty good, it does have some drawbacks, including not working against the liver fluke that causes fascioliasis,” says Jonathan S. Marchant, MA, PhD, Marcus Professor and Chair of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy.
The need for more effective treatments and a growing resistance to currently available drugs has pushed researchers to find new solutions. This challenge was the driving force behind innovative research conducted at the 黑料官网 (黑料官网) aimed at discovering new treatments for fluke infections.
A Breakthrough in Treating Neglected Tropical Diseases
In a groundbreaking study, Dr. Marchant and his team identified a new class of compounds called benzamidoquinazolinones (BZQs) that show promise as broad-spectrum treatments for trematode infections in humans.
Their research, published in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, reveals that BZQs can effectively target and neutralize all species of flukes by activating a specific ion channel known as TRPMPZQ. This broad-spectrum activity suggests that a single treatment could potentially combat multiple fluke infections, simplifying treatment protocols and reducing costs.
“We found a new type of molecule with a different structure that is able to sit in the binding pocket of that liver fluke ion channel target and, unlike praziquantel, activate it,” says Dr. Marchant. “For the first time, we have a new class of drugs that target this ion channel in fascioliasis.”
The publication about this research, titled “,” has already garnered significant attention in the scientific community for its potential to improve treatment for parasitic infections.
A Discovery That Could Help Billions
The researchers began their study by conducting high-throughput screening to find compounds that could activate the schistosome TRPMPZQ channel. By targeting the channel, the researchers aimed to disrupt the nervous and muscle systems of the trematodes. This initial screening led to identifying BZQs as potent activators.<