Lectins are proteins widely distributed among plants, animals and microorganisms that
have the ability to recognize and interact with specific carbohydrates. They have varied biological
activities, such as the inhibition of the progression of infections caused by fungi, bacteria, viruses
and protozoa, which is related to the interaction of these proteins with the carbohydrates present in
the cell walls of these microorganisms. Leishmaniasis are a group of endemic infectious diseases
caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania. In vitro and in vivo tests with promastigotes and
amastigotes of Leishmania demonstrated that lectins have the ability to interact with glycoconjugates
present on the cell surface of the parasite, it prevents their development through various
mechanisms of action, such as the production of ROS and alteration of membrane integrity, and
can also interact with defense cells present in the human body, thus showing that these molecules
can be considered alternative pharmacological targets for the treatment of leishmaniasis. The objective
of the present work is to carry out a bibliographic review on lectins with leishmanicidal activity,
emphasizing the advances and perspectives of research in this theme. Through the analysis
of the selected studies, we were able to conclude that lectins have great potential for inhibiting the
development of leishmaniasis. However, there are still few studies on this subject.