Essential Oils and Terpenic Compounds as Potential Hits for Drugs against Amitochondriate Protists

The human anaerobic or microaerophilic protists Giardia duodenalis, Entamoeba histolytica, and Trichomonas vaginalis are classified as amitochondriate parasites, a group of unicellular organisms that lack canonical mitochondria organelles. These microorganisms suffered adaptations to survive in hostile microenvironments and together represent an increasing threat to public health in developing countries. Nevertheless, the current therapeutic drugs to manage the infections are scarce and often cause several side effects. Furthermore, refractory cases associated with the emergence of parasitic resistance are concerns that guide the search for new pharmacological targets and treatment alternatives. Herein, essential oils and terpenic compounds with activity against amitochondriate parasites with clinical relevance are summarized and insights into possible mechanisms of action are made. This review aims to contribute with future perspectives for research with these natural products as potential alternatives for the acquisition of new molecules for the treatment of amitochondriate protists.

Automated summary

This article summarizes the human anaerobic or microaerophilic protists Giardia duodenalis, Entamoeba histolytica, and Trichomonas vaginalis which are classified as amitochondriate parasites. These microorganisms have adapted to survive in hostile microenvironments and pose an increasing threat to public health in developing countries. Current therapeutic drugs to manage these infections are scarce and often have several side effects. This review summarizes essential oils and terpenic compounds with activity against these amitochondriate parasites and explores possible mechanisms of action. It aims to contribute to future research perspectives on using natural products as potential alternatives for treating amitochondriate protists.