The Identification of Multi-Target Inhibitors of Wolbachia Pipientis and Onchocerca Volvulus by Molecular Simulations
January 2026
in “
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
”
TLDR Adapalene, Diosmin, and Azelastine may effectively treat onchocerciasis.
The study focuses on identifying potential drug targets for Onchocerca volvulus and its endosymbiont Wolbachia pipientis, which cause human Onchocerciasis, a significant public health issue in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. Using molecular docking simulations, 2,015 approved drugs were screened against two critical protein targets. The research identified Adapalene, Diosmin, and Azelastine as promising multi-target drugs due to their binding affinities and inhibitory potential. Other compounds like Drospirenone, Alectinib, Dutasteride, and Finasteride also showed potential. The study suggests that repurposing these drugs could offer effective treatment options for onchocerciasis, recommending further studies to validate their efficacy.