ABSTRACT
Abstract INTRODUCTION: Leishmaniasis, a disease caused by a parasite endemic to large areas of tropical and subtropical countries, is a growing public health problem. METHODS: Male BALB/c mice were infected with Leishmania amazonensis and treated with extracts isolated from Annona mucosa. RESULTS: Treated groups had significantly reduced footpad swelling. The group treated intraperitoneally with hexane extract showed footpad swelling similar to groups treated with Pentamidine® and Glucantime®. Groups treated with dichloromethane extract and hexane extract presented the recovering phenotype associated with reduced parasite levels. CONCLUSIONS: Extracts of A. mucosa are promising sources of novel antileishmanial compounds.
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Plant Extracts/therapeutic use , Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous/drug therapy , Annona/chemistry , Leishmania/drug effects , Antiprotozoal Agents/therapeutic use , Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous/parasitology , Disease Models, Animal , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Antiprotozoal Agents/isolation & purificationABSTRACT
In vitro evaluation of alkaloidal fractions of twigs, barks and leaves from two Unonopsis species, Unonopsis guatterioides R.E. Fr. and Unonopsis duckei R.E. Fr., Annonaceae, against promastigote forms of Leishmania amazonensis revealed these species as sources of substances with promising leishmanicidal potential. All alkaloidal fractions from twigs, barks and leaves of U. guatterioides were classified as highly active, with IC50 1.07, 1.90, and 2.79 mg/mL, respectively. Only the alkaloidal fraction from the twigs of U. duckei was classified as inactive.
ABSTRACT
Das plantas tóxicas da Amazônia Palicourea longiflora e Strychnos cogens foram isolados 571 fungos endofíticos e 74 bactérias endofíticas. Palicourea longiflora (Rubiaceae) e outras espécies desse gênero estão relacionadas a 90 por cento das mortes de gado na região Amazônica. Strychnos cogens (Loganiaceae) e outras espécies de Strychnos são utilizadas pelos indígenas na confecção de "curares". Entre os endófitos isolados de P. longiflora foram identificados os fungos: Colletotrichum sp. e seu telemorfo Glomerella sp., Guignardia sp., Aspergillus niger, Phomopsis sp. e Xylaria sp., além da bactéria Burkholderia gladioli, pertencente a um grupo de fixadoras de nitrogênio. Dos isolados de S. cogens foram identificados os fungos: Colletotrichum sp., Guignardia sp., Aspergillus niger e Trichoderma sp. Uma amostra de 79 isolados fúngicos teve seus metabólitos extracelulares bioensaiados contra microrganismos patogênicos e fitopatogênicos: 19 isolados inibiram um ou mais microrganismos-teste. Dos oito isolados com melhores resultados de inibição, as móleculas bioativas eram menores que 12.000 daltons, fato verificado pela diálise dos metabólitos.