RESUMO
Human leishmaniasis is a parasitic diseases caused by trypanosomatid protozoa of the genus Leishmania, transmitted by the bite of a sandfly of the genus phlebotomus. A characteristic of all leishmanial infections is the intracellular parasitism of macrophages. Various species of Leishmania have been identified causing the disease ranging from simple cutaneous to visceral leishmaniasis. The disease is endemic in many parts of the world and, as reported by WHO there could be some 12 million infected people in the world people in the world and 2 million at risk of infection each year. Over the past few years Leishmaniasis in Pakistan has not only increased at an alarming rate but has also extended its geographic distribution. The cutaneous form of the disease is endemic and highly prevalent in Balochistan, Sindh, NWFP and parts of Punjab, while the fatal form, visceral leishmaniasis is endemic in the north of the country and has recently been reported from Balochistan too. Diagnosis of the disease has continued to rely chiefly on finding the parasites microscopically in lesion biopsies or bone marrow aspirates. Chemotherapy tends to be rather difficult often requiring parenteral administration of toxic drugs which are toxic and expensive. Pentavalent antimonial compounds have been the mainstay of the treatment. Development of resistance to antimonials has resulted in renewed interest in the search for newer drugs. In this study we looked at various aspects of Leishmania in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan, including parasite surface molecules, immunodiagnostic techniques and especially the development of drugs having potent leishmanicidal activity. Our main emphasis was on the use of alkylphosphorylcholine derivatives as antileichmanial compounds