What is Antiprotozoal?

Antiprotozoal: Something that destroys protozoa or inhibits their growth and ability to reproduce.

A few of the protozoa of medical importance include Plasmodium (the cause of malaria) Entamoeba histolytica (the cause of amebiasis, amebic dysentery) and Trichomonas vaginalis (a cause of vaginal infection) and Pneumocystis carinii (a common cause of pneumonia in immunodeficient persons).

Some antiprotozoal drugs include the antimalarials Aralen ( chloroquine), Daraprim ( pyrimethamine), Lariam ( mefloquine) and Plaquenil ( hydroxychloroquine) Flagyl ( metronidazole) which is active against Entamoeba histolytica and Trichomonas vaginalis and Mepron (atovaquone) for Pneumocystis carinii.