Miltefosine

Miltefosine, sold under the trade name Impavido among others, is a medication mainly used to treat leishmaniasis and infectious diseases caused by Naegleria fowleri (primary amoebic meningoencephalitis) and Balamuthia mandrillaris (granulomatous amoebic encephalitis). This includes the three forms of leishmaniasis: cutaneous, visceral and mucosal/mucocutaneous. It may be used with liposomal amphotericin B or paromomycin. It is taken by mouth. Common side effects include vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, headaches, and decreased kidney function. More severe side effects may include Stevens–Johnson syndrome or low blood platelets. Use during pregnancy appears to cause harm to the baby and use during breastfeeding is not recommended. How it works is not entirely clear. Miltefosine was first made in the early 1980s and studied as a treatment for cancer. A few years later it was found to be useful for leishmaniasis and was approved for this use in 2002 in India. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.