The antiplasmodium effects of a traditional South American remedy: Zanthoxylum chiloperone var. angustifolium against chloroquine resistant and chloroquine sensitive strains of Plasmodium falciparum

Zanthoxylum chiloperone var. angustifolium Engl., Rutaceae, is used in traditional medicine to treat fungal and protozoal infections in the central area of South America. Considering the increasing resistance of Plasmodium falciparum in malarial ridden areas, we explored the anti-plasmodial effects of three compounds isolated from Z. chiloperone. The pyranocoumarin transavicennol and the canthinone alkaloids, canthin-6-one and 5-methoxycanthin-6-one, were found to have IC50 on chloroquine/mefloquine resistant and sensitive strains of P. falciparum of 0.5-2.7, 2.0-5.3 and 5.1-10.4 ƒÊg/mL, respectively. Moreover, the formation of heme adducts by these compounds is described by a novel alternative method based on MS-CID methods. The alkylamide sanshool was also identified, for first time in this plant, in the dichloromethanic and ethanolic extracts and the extracts were found to be notably non-toxic and displayed good anti-plasmodial effects.

SÍNTESIS Y ACTIVIDADES LEISHMANICIDA Y CITOTÓXICA in vitro DE ANÁLOGOS 2-ARILQUINOLINAS / SYNTHESIS AND in vitro LEISHMANICIDAL AND CYTOTOXIC ACTIVITIES OF 2-STYRYLQUINOLINES ANALOGS

Actualmente la quimioterapia de la leishmaniasis es promisoria, sin embargo aun no se dispone de un medicamento adecuado. Varias quinolinas sustituidas han presentado actividad in vitro contra agentes causales de leishmaniasis cutánea, leishmaniasis visceral, tripanosomiasis africana y enfermedad de Chagas. En este trabajo se sintetizan seis 2-arilquinolinas derivadas de la galipeina mediante condensación de Perkin a partir de quinaldina y aldehídos aromáticos. La actividad leishmanicida se evalúa en amastigotes axénicos y la actividad citotóxica en células U-937. Todos los compuestos muestran ser activos contra leishmania panamensis pero también contra células mamíferas. Los compuestos estirilquinolinas 2-[(E)-2-(2,5-dimetoxifenil)etenil]quinolina (1), 2-[(E)-2-(2,3-dimetoxifenil)etenil]quinolina (2) y N-{4-[(E)-2-quinolin-2-iletenil]fenil}acetamida (3) son mas activos sobre amastigotes axénicos (CE50 = 3,7; 4,5 y 19,1μg/mL) e intracelulares (CE50 = 1,4; 1,8 y 1,7μg/mL), en comparación con los derivados hidrogenados 2-[2-(2,5-dimetoxifenil)etil]quinolina (1a), 2-[2-(2,3-dimetoxifenil)etil]quinolina (2a) y N-[4-(2-quinolin-2-iletil)fenil]acetamida (3a) (CE50= 31,1; 23,6 y 59,3μg/mL). Todos los compuestos muestran también actividad contra células U-937 con CE50 de 3,7; 6,2 y 4,5μg/mL para las estirilquinolinas 1, 2 y 3, respectivamente y CE50 de 16,0; 12,9 y 20,2μg/mL para los derivados hidrogenados 1a, 2a y 3a, respectivamente. Aunque el proceso de hidrogenación produjo una disminución tanto de la actividad leishmanicida como de la actividad citotóxica, la actividad leishmanicida mostrada por los compuestos de tipo 2-estirilquinolinas les confiere un potencial como moléculas candidatas para el desarrollo de compuestos anti-leishmania.

The search of new treatments for leishmaniasis is an active task nowadays, since there is a lack of non-toxic, cheap and non-resistant medication. In the literature several quinolines have shown in vitro activity against agents of cutaneous leishmaniasis, visceral leishmaniasis, African trypanosomiasis and Chagas diseases. Six 2-styrylquinolines derived from galipeine were synthesized by Perkin condensation of quinaldine with aromatic aldehydes. Leishmanicidal activity was estimated for leishmania panamensis at the amastigote form and cytotoxic activity against U-937 cells. All compounds showed activity against both L. panamensis and U-937 cells. (E)-2-(2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethenyl)quinoline (1), (E)-2-(2,3-dimethoxyphenyl)ethenyl)quinoline (2) and (E)-N-[4-(2-quinolin-2-yl-ethenyl)phenyl]acetamide (3) were more active against axenic (EC50= 3.7, 4.5 and 19.1μg/mL) and intracellular amastigotes (EC50= 1.4, 1.8 and 1.7μg/ml, respectively), in comparison with hydrogenated derivatives 2-[2-(2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethyl]quinoline (1a), 2-[2-(2,3-dimethoxyphenyl)ethyl]quinoline (2a) and N-[4-(2-quinolin-2-ylethyl)phenyl]acetamide (3a) (CE50= 31.1, 23.6 and 59.3μg/mL, respectively). All compounds were also active against the U-937 cells. Styrylquinolines 1, 2 and 3 showed a LC50 of 3.7, 6.2 and 4.5μg/mL, respectively and the hydrogenated derivatives 1a, 2a and 3a showed a LC50 of 16.0. 12.9 and 20.2μg/mL, respectively. Although hydrogenation reduced the leishmanicidal and cytotoxic activities, the activity showed against leishmania parasites suggests this compound series has potential as drug candidates for the treatment of leishmaniasis.