Megazol (CL 64855) is a

nitroimidazole 5-Nitroimidazole is an organic compound with the formula O2NC3H2N2H. The nitro group at position 5 on the imidazole ring is the most common positional isomer. The term nitroimidazole also refers to a class of antibiotics that share similar chemi ...

based drug that cures some

protozoan Protozoa (singular: protozoan or protozoon; alternative plural: protozoans) are a group of single-celled eukaryotes, either free-living or parasitic, that feed on organic matter such as other microorganisms or organic tissues and debris. Histo ...

infections. A study of nitroimidazoles found the drug extremely effective against '' T. cruzi'' and '' T. brucei'' which cause

Chagas disease Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, is a tropical parasitic disease caused by ''Trypanosoma cruzi''. It is spread mostly by insects in the subfamily ''Triatominae'', known as "kissing bugs". The symptoms change over the cou ...

and

African sleeping sickness African trypanosomiasis, also known as African sleeping sickness or simply sleeping sickness, is an insect-borne parasitic infection of humans and other animals. It is caused by the species '' Trypanosoma brucei''. Humans are infected by two ty ...

, respectively. The drug is considerably more effective than standard

benznidazole Benznidazole is an antiparasitic medication used in the treatment of Chagas disease. While it is highly effective in early disease this decreases in those who have long-term infection. It is the first-line treatment given its moderate side effe ...

therapy (for Chagas) which is considered the gold standard. This is despite that other nitroimidazoles proved ineffective against these pathogens.

References

Antiprotozoal agents Nitroimidazole antibiotics Thiadiazoles {{antimicrobial-stub