What is miltefosine used for?
Miltefosine is used to treat certain types of leishmaniasis, such as visceral leishmaniasis (affects the internal organs), cutaneous leishmaniasis (affects the skin), or mucosal leishmaniasis (affects the nose, mouth, or throat).
Is miltefosine a chemotherapy?
Miltefosine, being an oral drug with long half-life has great potential to be one component of combination chemotherapy.
What class of drug is miltefosine?
Miltefosine belongs to the class of alkylphosphocholine drugs, which are phosphocholine esters of aliphatic long-chain alcohols.
Which drug is used in the treatment of Leishmania parasites?
Sodium stibogluconate (Pentostam) Sodium stibogluconate has been the drug of choice for the treatment of cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis in the United States.
Is miltefosine an antibiotic?
Miltefosine is a broad spectrum antimicrobial, anti-leishmanial, phospholipid drug that was originally developed in the 1980s as an anti-cancer agent. It is currently the only recognized oral agent used to treat visceral, cutaneous, and mucosal forms of leishmaniasis, a neglected tropical disease.
What is miltefosine made from?
Miltefosine is a phospholipid that is the hexadecyl monoester of phosphocholine. It has a role as an antineoplastic agent, an antiprotozoal drug, an antifungal agent, an immunomodulator, an anti-inflammatory agent, an apoptosis inducer, a protein kinase inhibitor and an anticoronaviral agent.
What is the mechanism of action of miltefosine?
Mechanism of action Miltefosine exerts its activity by interacting with lipids, inhibiting cytochrome c oxidase and causing apoptosis-like cell death. This may affect membrane integrity and mitochondrial function of the parasite.
Is miltefosine an orphan drug?
Miltefosine received an orphan drug designation in the European Union in 200273 and the USA in 2006.