Repurposing statins for the treatment of larval cestodiases: <i>in silico</i> evaluation of statin-HMG-CoA reductase interactions and assessment of statin effects on a cestode model.

ABSTRACT: Cestodiases, like echinococcoses and cysticercoses, represent a global health problem. Currently available anthelmintics, as benzimidazoles and praziquantel, have limited effectiveness against these cestodiases, creating a demand for the identification of new and more effective drugs. Here, the potential of statins (simvastatin and fluvastatin), for repositioning as novel anthelmintic is explored. Statins are inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, a main enzyme in the mevalonate pathway, which is vital for the synthesis of non-steroidal isoprenoids and the maintenance of normal cell functioning. A survey for HMG-CoA reductase encoding genes showed that they are present in a single copy in the genomes of parasitic helminths and their mammal hosts. Sequence

SUBMITTER: Monteiro Guedes M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12644962 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature