Chapter 5

Antiprotozoal Activity of Phytochemicals Against Entamoeba histolytica , the Causative Agent of Amoebiasis

Goutam Kumar Jena

Goutam Kumar Jena

Department of Pharmaceutics, Roland Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Berhampur, Odisha, India

Search for more papers by this author
Chinam Niranjan Patra

Chinam Niranjan Patra

Department of Pharmaceutics, Roland Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Berhampur, Odisha, India

Search for more papers by this author
Jnyanaranjan Panda

Jnyanaranjan Panda

Department of Chemistry, Roland Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Berhampur, Odisha, India

Search for more papers by this author
First published: 22 September 2021

Summary

Amoebiasis is the most predominant and leading cause of death in the developing countries due to overcrowding and poor hygienic conditions. It is an endemic and is caused by Entamoeba histolytica which is an extracellular as well as an enteric parasite. Although first detected 16 decades ago, it still remains as a common health problem in the developing countries. Nitroimidazoles are the first-line treatment option for amoebiasis. Development of resistance to nitroimidazoles and their derivatives followed by side effects are the key issues nowadays. Hence as an alternative treatment option, some phytochemicals like flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, iridoids, quassinoids, and phenolic compounds obtained from various plant sources can be used for amoebiasis to address the key issues arisen by nitroimidazoles and their derivatives. Although the use of phytochemicals in the treatment of amoebiasis is a traditional approach, it has fewer side effects and less chance of developing resistance.

The full text of this article hosted at iucr.org is unavailable due to technical difficulties.