Therapeutic Targets on Toxoplasma gondii Parasite in Combatting Toxoplasmosis
Sharif Alhassan Abdullahi
Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 Selangor, Malaysia and College of Health Sciences, Bayero University Kano, P.M.B. 3011, Zaria Road, Kano State, Nigeria.
Ngah Zasmy Unyah
Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 Selangor, Malaysia.
Noshariza Nordin
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 Selangor, Malaysia.
Rusliza Basir
Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400, Selangor, Malaysia.
Wana, Mohammed Nasir
Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 Selangor, Malaysia and Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi, Nigeria.
Ashraf, Ahmad Alapid
Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 Selangor, Malaysia and Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science-Alassaba, University of Gharyan, Libya.
Yahaya Hassan
Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 Selangor, Malaysia and College of Health Sciences, Bayero University Kano, P.M.B. 3011, Zaria Road, Kano State, Nigeria.
Tijjani, Mustapha
Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 Selangor, Malaysia and Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Yobe State University, Nigeria.
Roslaini Abd Majid
Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 Selangor, Malaysia.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The status of toxoplasmosis management is challenged by drug intolerance, compromised efficacy and potential development of drug resistance. However, currently, there are very limited targets on T. gondii that serve as the site of action of current medications. This review aimed to explore more potential targets that are essential to parasite survival and are absent in humans. Many unexplored targets on T. gondii exist and their specificities to the parasite make them ideal drug targets. The present review had searched relevant English databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Google scholar and Science Direct, for relevant literature on the therapeutic target of T. gondii. Many of the enzyme systems in several pathways are essentially palatable as drug targets. Establishing compounds that can target these enzymes on T. gondii will greatly be beneficial in treating acute and chronic toxoplasmosis in humans.
Keywords: Toxoplasmosis, T. gondii, essential, drug, targets, enzymes.