A novel series of chemical structures active in vitro against the trypomastigote form of Trypanosoma cruzi

Abstract

A rapid in vitro test system has shown that many drugs which possess a product licence for use in man are also active at a concentration of <1mM against the blood forms of Trypanosoma cruzi. 62 of these are structurally related amphiphilic cationic drugs which completely lyse the trypomastigotes at 4 °C within 24 hr, yet most leave the erythrocytes intact. Three polyene and two anthracycline antibiotics were also found to be selectively trypanocidal under the same conditions. © 1984 Oxford University Press.