Nifurtimox, sold under the brand name Lampit, is a medication used to treat Chagas disease and sleeping sickness.

[7][8] However, long-term use of nifurtimox does increase chances of adverse events like gastrointestinal and neurological side effects.

[8][9] Due to the low tolerance and completion rate of nifurtimox, benznidazole is now being more considered for those who have Chagas disease and require long-term treatment.

[5][9] In the United States nifurtimox is indicated in children and adolescents (birth to less than 18 years of age and weighing at least 2.5 kilograms (5.5 lb) for the treatment of Chagas disease (American Trypanosomiasis), caused by Trypanosoma cruzi.

[1] Nifurtimox has also been used to treat African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), and is active in the second stage of the disease (central nervous system involvement).

[5][8][14] There is limited data shown that nifurtimox doses up to 15 mg/kg daily can cause adverse effects in breastfed infants.

[5][16][20] Nifurtimox forms a nitro-anion radical metabolite that reacts with nucleic acids of the parasite causing significant breakdown of DNA.