Inhibitors of the FASII Metabolic Pathway in Toxoplasma gondii: Advances and Therapeutic Perspectives

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite of the phylum Apicomplexa and the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, a disease with a worldwide distribution that causes serious consequences in immunocompromised patients and during pregnancy. Current pharmacological treatments have significant limitations, including their toxicity, lack of efficacy against the chronic phase of the parasite, and low selectivity, highlighting the need to develop new therapeutic targets. One of the most promising targets is the fatty acid synthesis pathway II (FASII), a metabolic pathway located in the parasite’s apicoplast and absent in mammalian hosts. This review synthesizes the available evidence on FASII pathway inhibitors described to date, as well as their potential impact on the viability and development of T. gondii. Overall, the reviewed studies support the FASII pathway as an attractive therapeutic target for the development of more selective and effective treatments against toxoplasmosis.