Trypanocidal potential of copalic acids derivatives

• Grant number: 12/02105-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: April 01, 2012
• End date: February 28, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Protozoology of Parasites
• Principal Investigator: Sérgio de Albuquerque
• Grantee: Gisele Bulhões Portapilla
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect more than 1 billion people worldwide. Chagas' disease is one of the major NTDs and remains such a public health problem, where thousands of people are infected and others remain at risk of infection. There is no effective drug against the parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi and the existing drugs have severe side effects and low efficacy. Because this problem the researchers have intensified the search for new therapeutic tools against the parasite. Studies carried out in several countries report that many compounds isolated of vegetal species, such as the terpenes and their synthetic derivatives have been described as antiparasitic agents, with high efficiency and selectivity against T. cruzi. This project proposes the evaluation of trypanocidal activity of the copalic acid, obtained by organic extraction of copaiba oil (commercially available), and derivatives obtained by partial synthesis, in an attempt to potentiate the biological activity of the natural product. The substances will be assayed in vitro and in vivo for the characterization of the trypanocidal activity. The biological assays will be carried out experimentally by in vitro protocols, on amastigotes, trypomastigotes and epimastigotes forms of T. cruzi and in vivo protocols on experimentally infected animals, observing the effects of the compounds against two different strains of the parasite. The parasites will be quantified both in the blood, by hemocytometer as in tissue by qPCR.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

PORTAPILLA, GISELE BULHOES; PEREIRA, LUIZ MIGUEL; SOLDI, RAFAEL AUGUSTO; ABREU FILHO, PERICLES GAMA; GALLO, INARA FERNANDA LAGE; CLOSOSKI, GIULIANO CESAR; DE ALBUQUERQUE, SERGIO. Activity of beta-Caryophyllene Oxide Derivatives Against Trypanosoma cruzi, Mammalian Cells, and Horseradish Peroxidase. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE FARMACOGNOSIA-BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOGNOSY, v. 30, n. 6, JAN 2021. (12/02105-1, 12/16168-5, 18/14150-8)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

PORTAPILLA, Gisele Bulhões. Trypanocidal potential of copalic acids derivatives. 2014. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (PCARP/BC) Ribeirão Preto.