Melarsoprol

Definition

Melarsoprol is an arsenic-based medication primarily used to treat late-stage African trypanosomiasis, also known as sleeping sickness. It is effective against the Trypanosoma brucei parasite that invades the central nervous system.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Melarsoprol is administered intravenously and can cross the blood-brain barrier, making it suitable for treating CNS infections.
2. It is highly toxic and can cause severe side effects, including encephalopathy and reactive arsenical encephalopathy, also known as 'melarsoprol encephalopathy.'
3. Due to its toxicity, melarsoprol is often considered a last-resort treatment when other medications like eflornithine are ineffective or unavailable.
4. Melarsoprol has been a primary treatment option for late-stage African trypanosomiasis since the 1940s but has seen declining use due to safer alternatives.
5. Patients undergoing melarsoprol treatment must be closely monitored in a hospital setting due to the risk of severe adverse reactions.

Review Questions

• What stage of African trypanosomiasis is melarsoprol used to treat?
• Why must patients be closely monitored when receiving melarsoprol?
• What are some of the severe side effects associated with melarsoprol?

Related terms

Trypanosoma brucei: A parasitic protozoan species that causes African trypanosomiasis.

Eflornithine: An alternative drug used to treat late-stage African trypanosomiasis with fewer toxic effects than melarsoprol.

Blood-brain barrier: A selective permeability barrier that separates circulating blood from the brain and extracellular fluid in the central nervous system.