If the doctor found you have an infection with protozoa - amoebae, giardia, Trichomonas, Plasmodium, then for the treatment of diseases caused by them (dysentery, urethritis, colpitis, malaria), he will prescribe an antiprotozoal agent. What it is, how it affects the human body and how effective it is, we will talk in our article.
How antiprotozoal drugs are divided
All living organisms except bacteria are eukaryotes. That is, they have a nucleus in the structure of cells. Therefore, the protozoa that have entered the body have much in common with our cells in metabolic processes, and getting rid of them is much more difficult than getting rid of bacteria. And besides this, antiprotozoal drugs (the mechanism of action of which we will discuss later) often have a strong toxic effect on the body, which complicates the treatment of infection. But it is necessary to fight it, since the results can be very serious, regardless of the type of protozoa that hit the body,up to death.
All antiprotozoal drugs are divided by focus on a specific pathogen:
- antimalarial;
- antiamoebic;
- used for giardiasis;
- for trichomoniasis;
- for leishmaniasis;
- with toxoplasmosis.
Within the groups, the division is either by place and method of action on parasites (as in the case of antiamoebic drugs), or by the effect on the form of development of protozoa (as in the case of antimalarial drugs). Consider this on the example of certain types of pathogens.
How antiamebic drugs are divided
Ameba infection is quite common. In medicine, this pathology is defined as amoebiasis. It is caused by the protozoan Entamoeba histolytica, which colonizes the large intestine, resulting in bacillary dysentery-like symptoms. The patient feels pain in the abdomen, fever, he has an upset stool.
A part of amoebas can parasitize in the intestinal wall or infect the liver. There are cases of their introduction into the lungs and brain of a person, where they cause the appearance of abscesses.
What an antiprotozoal means for amoebiasis can be understood by how they are separated, depending on the localization of amoebiasis pathogens. So, among them are:
- drugs that act on amoebas,located in the intestinal lumen (Chiniofon, Mexaform, Enetroseptol, etc.);
- drugs that act on amoebae in the intestinal wall (in this case, antibiotics are also used that violate the conditions for the existence of amoebae - "Tetracycline" or "Oxytetracycline");
- preparations acting in the liver ("Hingamin", "Chloroquine");
- means that act in any localization of amoebae (nitroimidazole derivatives - "Metronidazole", "Ornidazole" or "Nirdazole").
Antiprotozoals: classification for malaria
Malaria refers to a group of diseases that occur with the same symptoms: fever, fever, joint pain, enlargement of the spleen and liver, and a decrease in hemoglobin in the blood. This is caused by infection with different types of Plasmodium through the bite of a female mosquito belonging to the genus Anopheles.
As already mentioned, antimalarial drugs are divided depending on the effect on the development of plasmodium. There are four groups in total:
- hematoschizotropic - affecting the erythrocyte form of plasmodium (drugs "Quinine", "Hingamine", "Chloridine", "Maloprim" or "Pyrimethamine");
- histoschizotropic, affecting the preerythrocyte form (Proguanil) and the paraerythrocyte form (Primakhine);
- gamanthotropic drugs with hamantocidal ("Primaquine") and gamantostatic effect ("Pyrimethamine");
- combined drugs (Fansidar, Metakelfin).
The main action,which all antiprotozoal drugs have is damage and inhibition (slowdown) of the process of nucleic acid synthesis in protozoa, as well as the destruction of their cytoplasmic membrane, which ultimately leads to the death of these microorganisms.
Treats for trichomoniasis
This is how, for example, the drug Metronidazole, used as the main drug in the treatment of trichomoniasis, works.
Infection with Trichomonas vaginalis affects the human genitourinary system, causing urethritis in men and vaginitis in women. As a rule, if such an infection is suspected, both sexual partners are treated, even if the disease in one of them is asymptomatic.
In women, when infected in the vagina, the disease is manifested by the release of a large amount of foamy whites. They tend to have an unpleasant odor and may be yellowish or greenish in color. Often, this also causes pain during intercourse.
And when the urethra is infected, there are cramps and burning during urination, which signal the development of urethritis. At the same time, itching and redness in the vagina, as well as swelling of the vulva are frequent.
As already mentioned, the main antiprotozoal agent in gynecology and urology is Metronidazole. But due to the fact that recently there has been an increase in the number of strains resistant to this drug, drugs such as Tinidazole or Ornidazole will be used to treat infections.
Funds fortreatment of toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis is another disease that is treated with an antiprotozoal. That this infection occurs when eating raw or poorly fried meat is probably no longer a secret to anyone. Most often, this disease becomes chronic, and its manifestations vary depending on which organ is affected by Toxoplasma gondii.
In people with weakened immune systems, this infection usually manifests itself as a lesion of the gastrointestinal tract, lungs, lymphatic and nervous systems, in the form of encephalitis, generalized lymphadenopathy or myositis. And if pregnant women are infected, toxoplasmosis can cause deformities in the child, as well as premature birth or abortion.
The main drug in the treatment of this pathology is "Chloridine" in conjunction with sulfanilamide drugs ("Sulfadimesin", "Sulfadimethoxin" or "Sulfapyridazine").
Drugs for the treatment of giardiasis
It is impossible not to remember, when describing an antiprotozoal, that it is also a drug that treats giardia infections. Giardiasis is a fairly common pathology resulting from parasite damage to the liver and small intestine. The danger of this disease lies in the fact that it may not manifest itself, but carriers of Giardia are able to infect others.
This disease is acute in children and people with weakened immune systems. Typically, the patient hasdiarrhea syndrome, fever, vomiting, rash (similar to measles), anorexia, liver enlargement, loss of appetite, and sharp pain in the pit of the stomach.
Effective drugs for the treatment of giardiasis are "Metronidazole", "Ornidazole", "Akrikhin" and "Furazolidone" in combination with antihistamines and enterosorbents.
What other drugs are used as antiprotozoals
Drugs used to treat the diseases listed above often have an antibacterial focus. So, Metronidazole tablets are both an antimicrobial and an antiprotozoal agent that can affect the development of Giardia, Trichomonas and Amoebas, as well as some anaerobic microorganisms: peptococci, streptococci, bacteroids, clostridia, fusobacteria, etc.
This action allows this drug to be effective in the fight against Trichomonas vaginitis and urethritis, as well as giardiasis and amoebic dysentery. The drug "Tiberal" ("Ornidazole") has a similar scope.
And the drug "Delagil", which includes chloroquine phosphate, is indicated for use in malaria, amoebiasis, as well as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.
Medications for leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis is another pathological condition for which an antiprotozoal agent is required. What this disease is and how it proceeds largely depends on the patient's immunity and the site of the lesion. Leishmaniasis is divided into mucocutaneous, diffuse cutaneous and visceral. In the latter case, the spleen and liver are affected, and the parasite circulates in the blood.
For the treatment of severe cases, intravenous or intramuscular injections of pentavalent antimony drugs are used. With skin types of this infection, they are in some cases replaced with drugs "Metronidazole" or "Paromomycin".
Once again about what an antiprotozoal means
From all of the above, it is clear that antiprotozoal drugs help rid the body of parasites represented by protozoa. The drugs listed above affect them, disrupting the developmental process and life cycle.
But antiprotozoal treatment has many side effects and is quite difficult. This means that diagnosing the presence of a parasitic infection in the early period is a very important point in the treatment of all these diseases. Advanced pathologies can not only become chronic, but also lead to disability or death.
It is very important, suspecting that you have some kind of disease, to contact a specialist as soon as possible, only in this case the treatment process will give the maximum effect and preserve he alth. Don't get sick!
