Leishmanicidal activity of amino acid and peptide esters

Amino acid and dipeptide esters kill intracellular and isolated L. amazonensis amastigotes. Several o f the compounds also restrict the growth o f mouse lesions after intralesional administration. However, the esters are known to be toxic in vitro for monocytes and certain lymphoid cells. Michel Rabinovitch surveys the mechanisms o f the leishmanicidal activity, describes some structure--activity relationships, and discusses strategies for the design of compounds more selective for the parasite.