Tag: Sleeping sickness

First synthesized by chemists at Bayer AG in 1916, suramin originated from early medicinal chemistry research into antiparasitic dyes. This discovery set off a fascinating story of scientific innovation, political intrigue, and a secret formula, answering the question of where did suramin come from.

Without treatment, sleeping sickness is almost always fatal, making effective medication critically important. However, there is no single drug of choice for sleeping sickness; instead, the optimal medication depends on the specific parasite subspecies and the stage of the infection.

First synthesized in 1916, suramin was a landmark antiparasitic drug, yet its use has significantly declined due to severe adverse effects, complex administration, and the development of more effective therapies. The question of what is the alternative to suramin is now answered by a range of modern medications tailored to specific diseases.