Use of parabulin for targeting protozoan tubulin for the inhibition of protozoan replication

Abstract

A determination has been made that apicomplexan tubulin, an essential parasite component, is an excellent drug target. Here, it is shown that it is possible to specifically target parasite tubulins, without harming the mammalian host. A compound has been identified that destabilizes specifically parasite MTs and inhibits essential parasite processes of replication and host cell invasion. This provides a new strategy to tackle the issue of drug resistance development. Specifically, the use of the compound parabulin and/or its derivates in the process of targeting protozoan tubulin for the inhibition of the replication of protozoans in mammalian organism, wherein parabulin has the following molecular weight, sum formula, name and structure: MW: 373.4 Da; Formula: CHNO, ⋅Name (s): 3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-[(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)methyl]prop-2-enamide; (2E)-3-(3,4-Dimethoxyphenyl)-N-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)acrylamid; SMILES: (C1═C(OC)C═CC(═C1)C═CC(═0)N(CC2═CC(═C(OC)C(═C2)OC)OC)[H])C.