Antiprotozoal Remedies

a group of substances that suppress the life activities of protozoa. Antiprotozoal remedies are used for treatment and prophylaxis in malaria, amoebic dysentery, trichomoniasis, lambliasis, leishmaniasis, and other protozoal infections. Antiprotozoal remedies either inhibit the growth of protozoa (parasitostatic effect) or cause their destruction (parasiticidal effect). The difference between these forms of effect on protozoa depends on the properties of the preparation used, its concentration, the method of its introduction, environmental conditions, the species and developmental phase of the protozoa, the form of infectious process, and so forth.

Representatives of various classes of chemical compounds are classed as antiprotozoal remedies: the antimalarial preparations, derivatives of quinoline (Plasmocid, khingamin, Quinocide, galokhin, etc.); acridine (Acriquine, aminoakrikhin), biguanide ibigumal’), pyrimethamine (Chloridin), and others; antitrichomonal preparations of the imidazole group (metronidazole); a number of plant alkaloids (quinine, emetine, liutenurin); organic compounds of arsenic (Orsasol, Novarsan) and antimony (Solyusurmin); antibiotics (preparations of the tetracycline group); phytoncids; and others.