Nitro drugs for the treatment of trypanosomatid diseases: past, present, and future prospects

•Two nitro drugs are currently used in the treatment of trypanosomatid diseases.•Several new nitroaromatics are being developed against the trypanosomatid diseases.•Many nitro drugs and drug candidates act as prodrugs which require bioactivation.•Nitroaromatics can have disparate mechanisms of action in trypanosomatid parasites. There is an urgent need for new, safer, and effective treatments for the diseases caused by the protozoan parasites Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi, and Leishmania spp. In the search for more effective drugs to treat these ‘neglected diseases’ researchers have chosen to reassess the therapeutic value of nitroaromatic compounds. Previously avoided in drug discovery programs owing to potential toxicity issues, a nitro drug is now being used successfully as part of a combination therapy for human African trypanosomiasis. We…