Pentavalent antimony

Pentavalent antimony (Sbv) is a parenteral antimonial compound used as a standard treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis. It is typically administered at a dose of 15-20mg/kg per day for 20 days. Despite being a standard treatment, it faces challenges such as therapeutic failure in up to 50% of patients, a prolonged healing period of 60 to 90 days for ulcerated lesions, and the parenteral route of administration which can hinder patient adherence, particularly in rural settings. Research has explored its use in combination with other agents, such as GM-CSF, to potentially improve cure rates, and with topical rSm29 functionalized onto gold nanoparticles to reduce inflammation and parasite load in experimental models.

Brand names

PentostamGlucantime

Other names

Sbv