Antiparasitic drugs
Antiparasitic Drugs
Antiparasitic drugs (pronunciation: an-tee-puh-ras-i-tik druhgz) are a class of medications that are used to treat parasitic diseases. These drugs work by targeting the parasites that cause the diseases, thereby helping to eliminate them from the body.
Etymology
The term "antiparasitic" is derived from the Greek words "anti" meaning against, and "parasitos" meaning one who eats at the table of another. The term "drug" comes from the Old French "drogue", possibly derived from the Dutch word "droog" (meaning "dry"), as medicinal plants were often dried for use.
Types of Antiparasitic Drugs
There are several types of antiparasitic drugs, each designed to combat a specific type of parasite. These include:
- Antihelminthic drugs: These are used to treat infections caused by helminths, which are parasitic worms such as tapeworms, roundworms, and flukes.
- Antiprotozoal drugs: These are used to treat diseases caused by protozoa, which are single-celled organisms. Examples include malaria, giardiasis, and toxoplasmosis.
- Ectoparasiticides: These are used to treat infections caused by ectoparasites, which live on the surface of the host. Examples include lice and scabies.
Mechanism of Action
Antiparasitic drugs work by exploiting differences between the biochemistry of parasites and their human hosts. This allows the drugs to target the parasites without causing significant harm to the host. The exact mechanism of action varies depending on the specific drug and the type of parasite it is designed to combat.
Related Terms
- Parasite: An organism that lives in or on another organism (its host) and benefits by deriving nutrients at the host's expense.
- Parasitic disease: A disease caused by parasites.
- Helminths: Parasitic worms that cause disease in humans.
- Protozoa: Single-celled organisms that can cause disease in humans.
- Ectoparasites: Parasites that live on the surface of their host.
This WikiMD.org article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.