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MINI REVIEW article

Front. Parasitol.
Sec. Antiparasitic Drugs and Drug Resistance
Volume 3 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpara.2024.1508167

Emodepside: The anthelmintic's mode of action and toxicity

Provisionally accepted
  • Iowa State University, Ames, United States

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Nematode parasitic infections continue to be a major health problem for humans and animals. Drug resistance to currently available treatments only worsen the problem. Drug discovery is expensive and time-consuming, making drug repurposing an enticing option. Emodepside, a broad-spectrum anthelmintic, has shown efficacy in the treatment of nematode parasitic infections in cats and dogs.It is now being considered and trialed for the treatment of onchocerciasis, trichuriasis (whipworm), and hookworm infections in humans. Its unique mechanism of action distinguishes it from traditional anthelmintics, positioning it as a promising candidate for combating resistance to other current drugs.Here, we provide a brief review of the available information on emodepside's pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability. We highlight the potential benefits and risks associated with its use, examining key toxicity effects. By exploring the literature, we aim to provide insights into the risks associated with emodepside that may impact its application in veterinary and human medicine.Although emodepside demonstrates a favorable safety profile, continued monitoring of its toxicity is crucial, particularly in vulnerable populations. This mini-review serves as a concise resource for researchers and clinicians interested in anthelmintic therapy.

    Keywords: Emodepside, SLO-1K, Toxicity, anthelmintic, pharmacokinetics, River blindness, hookworm, Trichuris

    Received: 08 Oct 2024; Accepted: 18 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Nya, Robertson and Martin. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Richard J Martin, Iowa State University, Ames, United States

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.