Drug selection with anthelmintic properties, nanoencapsulation and preclinical evaluation in experimental model of schistosomiasis

• Grant number: 20/01441-4
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: July 01, 2021 - June 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Helminthology of Parasites
• Principal researcher: Josué de Moraes
• Grantee: Josué de Moraes
• Home Institution: Universidade Universus Veritas Guarulhos (Univeritas UNG). Guarulhos , SP, Brazil
• Assoc. researchers: Cheng-Shi Jiang ; João Paulo Figueiro Longo ; Maria Cecília Barbosa da Silveira Salvadori ; Ricardo Bentes de Azevedo ; Thiago Rahal Morais

Abstract

Helminth diseases affect more than 1 billion people worldwide, especially in the poor, without adequate housing, education and health services. These diseases not only prevail in conditions of poverty, but also represent a strong obstacle to the development of countries and are crucial in maintaining the framework of inequality. Unfortunately, the therapeutic options are insufficient, whose scenario is aggravated by the neglect of the pharmaceutical industry in the development of new drugs for the low income population. Thus, one approach to accelerating drug discovery is "drug repositioning" or "drug repurposing," whose strategy is based on new uses for existing drugs, which makes it advantageous to reduce research time and cost. In this context, recent studies by our research group (FAPESP grant 2016/22488-3) have shown that some drugs used in other pathologies also have antiparasitic action in Schistosoma mansoni, the worm responsible for schistosomiasis, a disease that affects more than 200 million people, especially children. Moreover, the partnership between researchers from São Paulo and the Federal District, came a line of research focused on the development of nanostructured oral formulations for the treatment of schistosomiasis and other helminth diseases. At this sense, the purpose of the present proposal is to develop a low-cost formulation, in the form of dispersion of nanoemulsions that carry drugs that previously had anthelmintic properties in S. mansoni. It should be emphasized that nanocarrier drugs have the potential to increase the gastrointestinal absorption of drugs, thus reducing the dose administered, thus optimizing the therapeutic protocol. Aiming at transforming knowledge and new technologies into innovation for industry and society, in this project the nanostructured formulations will be developed by researchers from the Federal District and the anthelmintic tests will be performed by researchers from São Paulo. Moreover, this proposal aims to contribute to the formation of Human Resources in the field of Bioeconomy, especially in the area of Nanotechnology and Helminthology. (AU)