RESUMO

INTRODUCTION: Leishmaniasis is an important disease caused by parasites of the Leishmania. Due to the urgent need for financial incentives and research and development of new anti-Leishmania, a point that stands out is the creation of patents that comprise drugs and nanoformulations in treating the disease. AREAS COVERED: Information on individual patents and patent families containing potential drugs and nanoformulations were obtained by searching the Orbit software (QUESTEL SAS, France) using the following terms: Leishmania; treatment; nanoparticle*; drug×. The data obtained ranged from 2015 to 2022. EXPERT OPINION: Meglumine antimoniate is a pentavalent antimonial widely used in the classic treatment of leishmaniasis. It is part of the classic treatment recommended by WHO, being the first-choice drug globally about 75 years ago. Thus, the need to introduce new anti-Leishmania therapies into clinical medicine is evident since cases of resistance to monotherapy and multitherapy have increased greatly. Associated with this, the search for patents that are good candidates in treating this disease assues interest in investments of financial resources and raises a ray of hope for safe, effective, and low-cost therapies to become licensed for the treatment of leishmaniasis.

Assuntos

Antiprotozoários , Leishmania , Leishmaniose , Humanos , Antiprotozoários/farmacologia , Patentes como Assunto , Leishmaniose/tratamento farmacológico , Antimoniato de Meglumina/farmacologia , Antimoniato de Meglumina/uso terapêutico

RESUMO

The use of Beneficial Microorganisms for Corals (BMCs) to increase the resistance of corals to environmental stress has proven to be effective in laboratory trials. Because direct inoculation of BMCs in larger tanks or in the field can be challenging, a delivery mechanism is needed for efficient transmission of the BMC consortium. Packaged delivery mechanisms have been successfully used to transmit probiotics to other organisms, including humans, lobsters, and fish. Here, we tested a method for utilizing rotifers of the species Brachionus plicatilis for delivery of BMCs to corals of the species Pocillopora damicornis. Epifluorescence microscopy combined with a live/dead cell staining assay was used to evaluate the viability of the BMCs and monitor their in vivo uptake by the rotifers. The rotifers efficiently ingested BMCs, which accumulated in the digestive system and on the body surface after 10 min of interaction. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the adherence of BMCs to the rotifer surfaces. BMC-enriched rotifers were actively ingested by P. damicornis corals, indicating that this is a promising technique for administering coral probiotics in situ. Studies to track the delivery of probiotics through carriers such as B. plicatilis, and the provision or establishment of beneficial traits in corals are the next proof-of-concept research priorities.