Investigation of antifungal activity, mechanism of action and analysis of protein profile of T. rubrum and M. canis to Piper umbellatum derivatives

• Grant number: 13/10578-0
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): September 01, 2013
• Effective date (End): June 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Pharmacognosy
• Principal researcher: Rosemeire Cristina Linhari Rodrigues Pietro
• Grantee: Jolindo Alencar Freitas
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Dermatophytosis is the most commom superficial mycosis and frequent among recurrent infections in the world and is caused by fungal infection of keratinized tissues. Among the most common etiological agents, are Trichophyton rubrum and Microsporum canis, those will be used as models in the study. Although it does not exppose the patient at risk causes discomfort and in some cases it require systemic antifungal therapy, which generates a concern about the emergence of resistance to existing drugs. Previous studies have shown that some extracts of Pothomorphe umbellata and some of its isolated components, including its main secondary metabolite 4-nerolidylcathecol, exhibit activity against microbial growth. This project aims to quantify the activity of extracts and isolated compounds by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and to investigate possible mechanisms of action throught the avaliaton of intracellular material release and sorbitol andergosterol effects. It also covers the use of proteomic analysis of dermatophytes, until then restricted to the identification of virulence mechanisms in response to treatment with traditional antifungal, with the intention to clarifying mechanisms of action and/or new therapeutic targets, a type of study that doesn't exist yet with dermatophytes. Additionally we intend to evaluate the cytotoxicity of the extracts and isolated compounds against different mammalian cell lines. These results allow evaluation of investigation envolved in mechanisms of action and estabilish the potential for clinical testing of extracts of P. umbellata and isolated compounds for producing a future phytochemical antifungal.

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)

FREITAS, JOLINDO A.; SORRECHIA, RODRIGO; POLITI, FLAVIO A. S.; SANTOS, ANDRE G.; RODRIGUES, EDVANIO R.; SANTOS, LOURDES C.; FUSCO-ALMEIDA, ANA M.; OLIVEIRA, ANDREW A.; GUIDO, RAFAEL V. C.; PIETRO, ROSEMEIRE C. L. R. In vitro bioassay guided anti-dermatophyte and cytotoxic activities from Piper umbellatum L. Miq. led to 4-nerolidylcatechol. NATURAL PRODUCT RESEARCH, v. 34, n. 23, p. 3423-3427, DEC 1 2020. Web of Science Citations: 1.