CurcuminDS17: Evaluation of metabolic and lipid alterations in Wistar rats infected with Trypanosoma cruzi

• Grant number: 25/13985-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: October 01, 2025
• End date: September 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy
• Principal Investigator: Vânia Brazão Muniz
• Grantee: Vânia Brazão Muniz
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 23/02254-1 - Benznidazole and Curcumin: Evaluation of metabolic, lipid and neuroimmunoendocrine changes in Wistar rats infected with Trypanosoma cruzi., AP.R

Abstract

Chagas disease remains a significant public health problem, with numerous aspects of its immunopathogenesis still unclear. The treatment available in Brazil (benznidazole), besides having numerous side effects, has not proven effective in all phases of T. cruzi infection. It is known that immune response cells share receptors for hormones and cytokines, and that during acute T. cruzi infection, dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis occurs, triggered by the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 or IL-1¿, altering the secretion of certain hormones and resulting immunosuppression. Curcumin's pleiotropic actions, including its immunomodulatory and antioxidant functions, are being increasingly studied.Curcumin has also shown promising results as an antiparasitic, as described in in vitro studies on Schistosomiasis (Abou et al., 2019); Leishmaniasis (Chauhan et al., 2018); and Malaria. Therefore, the proposal consists of performing a more detailed study of the lipid, metabolic, and immunoendocrine changes that occur during the progression of Chagas disease. Therefore, the present work is unprecedented, as there are no studies available describing the effects of solid curcumin dispersion (DS17), a compound with 330-fold greater solubility than the dry extract when compared under the same conditions, and which will be used in this work. The results of this work will contribute to an important gap and will be of great importance in the development of future therapeutic strategies during the progression of Chagas disease. (AU)