Chemotherapeutic Targets in Parasites
Contemporary Strategies

Analyzes mechanisms of parasite survival, and advocates the latest molecular strategies with which to identify effective antiparasitic agents.

Tag E. Mansour (Author), Joan MacKinnon Mansour (With)

9780521620659, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 4 November 2002

242 pages, 53 b/w illus.
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.7 cm, 0.53 kg

'Students of parasitology, research workers interested in drug development and practitioners in tropical medicine will find this book an invaluable guide to the theory of the chemical treatment of parasitic infections.' Chemistry in Australia

Parasitic infections are the most prevalent of human diseases, and researchers continue to face the challenge of designing drugs to successfully counteract them. Chemotherapeutic Targets in Parasites analyzes the critical metabolic reactions and structural features essential for parasite survival, and advocates the latest molecular strategies with which to identify effective antiparasitic agents. An introduction to the early development of parasite chemotherapy is followed by an overview of biophysical techniques and genomic and proteomic analysis. Several chapters are devoted to specific types of chemotherapeutic agents and their targets in malaria, trypanosomes, leishmania and amitochondrial protists. Chapters on helminths include metabolic, neuromuscular, microtubular and tegumental targets. Emphasized throughout is the design of more selective and less toxic drugs than in the past. This book will be especially relevant to medical and clinical researchers and to graduate students in parasitology, pharmacology, medicine, microbiology, and biochemistry.

Preface
1. The search for antiparasitic agents
2. Biophysical, genomic, and proteomic analysis of drug targets
3. Energy metabolism in parasitic helminths: targets for antiparasitic agents
4. Antimalarial agents and their targets
5. Antitrypanosomal and antileishmanial targets
6. Targets in amitochondrial protists
7. Neuromuscular structures and microtubules as targets
8. Targets in the teguments of flatworms
Index.

Subject Areas: Parasitology [non-medical PSGH], Pharmacology [MMG], Medical microbiology & virology [MMFM]