Evaluating the Antiparasitic Activity of Novel BPZ Derivatives Against Toxoplasma gondii

Abstract

Prevalence studies revealed that one-third of the human population is chronically infected with Toxoplasma gondii. Presently, such infections are without medical treatment that effectively eradicates the parasite once it is in its latent form. Moreover, the therapeutics used to treat acute infections are poorly tolerated by patients and also cause the parasite to convert into long-lasting tissue cysts. Hence, there is a dire need for compounds with antiparasitic activity against all forms of T. gondii. This study examines the antiparasitic capacity of nine novel bisphenol Z (BPZ) derivatives to determine whether they possessed any activity that prevented T. gondii replication. To begin assessing the efficacy of the novel derivatives, parasites were treated with increasing concentrations of the compounds, then doubling assays and MitoTracker staining were performed. Three of the nine compounds demonstrated strong inhibitory activity, i.e., parasite replication significantly decreased with higher concentrations. Additionally, many of the treated parasites exhibited decreases in fluorescent signaling and disruption of mitochondrial morphology. These findings suggest that bisphenol Z compounds disrupt mitochondrial function to inhibit parasite replication and may provide a foundation for the development of new and effective treatment modalities against T. gondii.

Computational screening of FDA-approved drugs to identify potential TgDHFR, TgPRS, and TgCDPK1 proteins inhibitors against Toxoplasma gondii

“…The rapid spread of drug-resistant parasites has led scientists to identify and use vulnerable points in T. gondii parasites to discover alternative drugs and eradicate or control infections associated with this parasite 26 , 27 . Therefore, the discovering new antiparasitic compounds and new targets for treatment is essential 28 . The development of strategies to target the key vulnerabilities in eukaryotic parasites is essential to identify new therapies against these infections.…”

Measurement, Correlation, and Thermodynamic Properties of the Solubility of Bisphenol Z (BPZ) in Nine Mono and (Tetrahydrofuran + 1-Propanol) Binary Solvents

“…It is used as a starting material in the production of the anesthetic phencyclidine (PCP). 7 Bisphenol Z derivatives have been found to show anticancer, 8 antiparasitic, 9 and antiproliferative effects in cultured breast and glioblastoma cell lines. 10 The increased use of BPZ is expected to continue in the coming years as a result of stricter BPA regulation.…”