Pentavalent antimonials (also abbreviated pentavalent Sb or SbV) are a group of compounds used for the treatment of leishmaniasis. They are also called pentavalent antimony compounds.
Contents
Types
The first pentavalent antimonial used was urea stibamine: first introduced in the 1930s, it fell out of favour in the 1950s due to higher toxicity compared to sodium stibogluconate.
The compounds currently available for clinical use are:
The pentavalent antimonials can only be given by injection: there are no oral preparations available.
Alternatives
In many countries, widespread resistance to antimony has meant that amphotericin or miltefosine are now used in preference.Wardha Refai, Nayani Madarasingha, Rohini Fernandopulle, Nadira Karunaweera (2016). "Non-responsiveness to standard treatment in cutaneous leishmaniasis: A case series from Sri Lanka". Tropical Parasitology. 6 (2): 156–128. doi:10.4103/2229-5070.190835. CS1 maint: Uses authors parameter (link)
Side effects
Cardiotoxicity, reversible renal failure, pancreatitis, anemia, leukopenia, rash, headache, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, arthralgia, myalgia, thrombocytopenia, and transaminase elevation.