Eflornithine. A new drug in the treatment of sleeping sickness.

Eflornithine (alpha-difluoromethylornithine; DFMO) is a recently developed drug against African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness). After a short description of trypanosomiasis and the current treatment, the mechanism of action of eflornithine is discussed, some clinical data is given and attention is paid to recently discovered analogues of eflornithine. Some examples of combination therapy with eflornithine and possible applications are mentioned.