Abstract

Diseases caused by parasitic protozoa present a health problem of immense magnitude, and there is an urgent need for safe and effective new therapies. DNA topoisomerases are clinically relevant targets for anticancer and anti-bacterial agents. Inhibitor studies on parasite topoisomerases have revealed that these enzymes have great promise as molecular targets for anti-parasitics, and have helped to dissect the basic biology of DNA topoisomerases in these organisms. This review provides a brief introduction to DNA topoisomerases and anti-topoisomerase drugs, and an overview of studies on protozoal DNA topoisomerases and their inhibitors.

Keywords: dna topoisomerase, antiparasitic, poison, inhibitor, trypanosoma, plasmodium, leishmania, protozoa