01879nas a2200229   4500000000100000008004100001653002000042653001400062653002000076653003900096653003000135653001800165100001400183700001300197700001200210700001400222245010400236856004600340490000700386520124200393022001401635       2016                            d10aTrypanosomiasis10aTreatment10aschistosomiasis10aNeglected tropical diseases (NTDs)10aLymphatic filariasis (LF)10aLeishmaniasis1 aCheuka PM1 aMayoka G1 aMutai P1 aChibale K00aThe role of natural products in drug discovery and development against neglected tropical diseases.  uhttp://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/22/1/58/htm0 v223 a<p>Endemic in 149 tropical and subtropical countries, neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect more than 1 billion people annually, including 875 million children in developing economies. These diseases are also responsible for over 500,000 deaths per year and are characterized by long-term disability and severe pain. The impact of the combined NTDs closely rivals that of malaria and tuberculosis. Current treatment options are associated with various limitations including widespread drug resistance, severe adverse effects, lengthy treatment duration, unfavorable toxicity profiles, and complicated drug administration procedures. Natural products have been a valuable source of drug regimens that form the cornerstone of modern pharmaceutical care. In this review, we highlight the potential that remains untapped in natural products as drug leads for NTDs. We cover natural products from plant, marine, and microbial sources including natural-product-inspired semi-synthetic derivatives which have been evaluated against the various causative agents of NTDs. Our coverage is limited to four major NTDs which include human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis and lymphatic filariasis.</p>
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