About this Research Topic
Neglected Diseases are a group of diseases present in tropical and subtropical countries mainly with low-incomes, affecting more than one billion people. Although, increased migration from endemic to non-endemic countries and climate change has increased their impact and importance all over the world. The classification of these diseases and their transmission routes are different, however, in most instances pharmacological treatment options are limited. Additionally, resistance to conventional drugs has been described in several parasites for decades, therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new therapeutic options.
Neglected Diseases are a group of diseases with different impacts on public health in each country. Although these diseases can be prevented and controlled, the health services do not have the proper tools and resources resulting in high morbidity and mortality rates. Despite its importance, current treatment is based on limited pharmacological treatment, which has low efficacy and produces numerous undesirable secondary effects.
In the last decade, with the application of new strategies in drug discovery, several natural and synthetic compounds have been reported that exhibit efficacy against the microorganisms that cause Neglected Diseases. Additionally, other strategies involve the identification of targets against different parasites to develop innovative and cost-effective approaches for drug discovery. Despite these facts and the impressive advances in understanding the biology of these diseases, only a limited number of compounds are currently in clinical trials. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new therapeutic options that will help fight resistance, increase effectiveness, decrease cost, and facilitate availability.
This Research Topic seeks manuscripts dealing with novel approaches of discovery and development of drugs for Neglected Diseases, with a focus on Chagas Disease, Human African Trypanosomiasis, and Leishmaniasis. By considering both Original Research and Review articles that can have an ever-increasing impact on the drug discovery pipeline, new trends can be discovered that will impact the field in the near future. Areas to be covered in this Research Topic may include, but are not limited to:
• Bioactive compounds
• Computer-Aided Drug Design
• Synthesis and biological activity of small molecules
• Drug targets
• Drug repositioning
Neglected Diseases are a group of diseases with different impacts on public health in each country. Although these diseases can be prevented and controlled, the health services do not have the proper tools and resources resulting in high morbidity and mortality rates. Despite its importance, current treatment is based on limited pharmacological treatment, which has low efficacy and produces numerous undesirable secondary effects.
In the last decade, with the application of new strategies in drug discovery, several natural and synthetic compounds have been reported that exhibit efficacy against the microorganisms that cause Neglected Diseases. Additionally, other strategies involve the identification of targets against different parasites to develop innovative and cost-effective approaches for drug discovery. Despite these facts and the impressive advances in understanding the biology of these diseases, only a limited number of compounds are currently in clinical trials. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new therapeutic options that will help fight resistance, increase effectiveness, decrease cost, and facilitate availability.
This Research Topic seeks manuscripts dealing with novel approaches of discovery and development of drugs for Neglected Diseases, with a focus on Chagas Disease, Human African Trypanosomiasis, and Leishmaniasis. By considering both Original Research and Review articles that can have an ever-increasing impact on the drug discovery pipeline, new trends can be discovered that will impact the field in the near future. Areas to be covered in this Research Topic may include, but are not limited to:
• Bioactive compounds
• Computer-Aided Drug Design
• Synthesis and biological activity of small molecules
• Drug targets
• Drug repositioning
Keywords: Drugs, Design, Neglected Diseases, Synthesis, Natural Products
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
