Gallic and Ellagic Acids Are Promising Adjuvants to Conventional Amphotericin B for the Treatment of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis.

In this study, we demonstrated the potential associative effect of combining conventional amphotericin B (Amph B) with gallic acid (GA) and with ellagic acid (EA) in topical formulations for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis in BALB/c mice. Preliminary stability tests of the formulations and in vitro drug release studies with Amph B, GA, Amph B plus GA, EA, and Amph B plus EA were carried out, as well as assessment of the in vivo treatment of BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania major After 40 days of infection, the animals were divided into 6 groups and treated twice a day for 21 days with a gel containing Amph B, GA, Amph B plus GA, EA, or Amph B plus EA, and the negative-control group was treated with the vehicle. In the animals that received treatment, there was reduction of the lesion size and reduction of the parasitic load. Histopathological analysis of the treatments with GA, EA, and combinations with Amph B showed circumscribed lesions with the presence of fibroblasts, granulation tissue, and collagen deposition, as well as the presence of activated macrophages. The formulations containing GA and EA activated macrophages in all evaluated parameters, resulting in the activation of cells of the innate immune response, which can generate healing and protection. GA and EA produced an associative effect with Amph B, which makes them promising for use with conventional Amph B in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Emulgel based on amphotericin B and bacuri butter (Platonia insignis Mart.) for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis: characterization and in vitro assays.

OBJECTIVE: This work aimed to develop and characterize a topical emulgel of amphotericin B (AmB) with bacuri butter (Platonia insignis Mart.) and evaluate its antileishmanial activity using in vitro assays. SIGNIFICANCE: Leishmaniasis is considered an infectious disease, with high incidence and capacity to produce deformities. The first-line treatment recommended by WHO, with pentavalent antimonials, is aggressive and very toxic. Therefore, the development of topical treatments can emerge as a promising and less offensive alternative. METHODS: The developed formulations were evaluated for organoleptic characteristics, centrifugation resistance, globule size, pH, electrical conductivity, viscosity, spreadability, drug content, preliminary stability, in vitro release profile, evaluation of antileishmanial activity using promastigotes forms of Leishmania major as infecting agents, macrophage cytotoxicity and selectivity index (IS). RESULTS: Formulated emulsions presented organoleptic characteristics compatible with its constituents; pH values were suitable for topical application, ranging from 4.73 to 5.02; introduced non-Newtonian shear thinning system; drug content was within the established standards, and the most suitable kinetic model of release was the first order. Regarding the in vitro assays, formulations containing both 1% and 3% of AmB presented similar outcomes, indicating a synergism between the bacuri butter and the drug, possibly showing a reduction on cytotoxicity to host cells. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that the formulations developed showed promising antileishmanial action and high potential for topical use.