Analysis of terapeutic action of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid in visceral leishmaniasis experimental

• Grant number: 13/10133-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: September 01, 2013
• End date: August 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Pathological Anatomy and Clinical Pathology
• Principal Investigator: Luiz Felipe Domingues Passero
• Grantee: Jéssica Adriana de Jesus
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Visceral leishmaniasis or calazar is a serious chronic disease, potentially fatal to humans, in which mortality can reach 10% when not establishing proper treatment, which is based on antimony, and in cases where there is a failure of antimonials, amphotericin B is employed. Both drugs have a number of local and systemic side effects. Also, some reports show that there is the emergence of resistance to these chemotherapeutic agents. For this reason, it is necessary to search for new pharmacological targets against leishmaniasis. Recently, we found that a fraction enriched with oleanolic acid and ursolic acid was active against promastigotes and amastigotes of L. (L.) amazonensis L. (V.) braziliensis, and further stimulated nitric oxide production in infected macrophages. This fraction is currently being evaluated in vivo in a model of cutaneous infection. To expand the knowledge of the action of these triterpenes, this proposal aims to evaluate the therapeutic potential of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid in experimental infection caused by L. (L.) chagasi. For this, hamsters are infected with L. (L.) chagasi and after 20 days will be treated with the compounds. After 10 days of the last application, the animals will be sacrificed and the parasite load will be evaluated in spleen and liver. The expression levels of IFN-g and IL-10 will be evaluated by real time PCR. Serum IgG1 and IgG2 also be evaluated.

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)

JESUS, JESSICA A.; FRAGOSO, THAIS N.; YAMAMOTO, EDUARDO S.; LAURENTI, MARCIA D.; SILVA, MARCELO S.; FERREIRA, AUREA F.; LAGO, JOAO HENRIQUE G.; GOMES, GABRIELA S.; PASSERO, LUIZ FELIPE D.. Therapeutic effect of ursolic acid in experimental visceral leishmaniasis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-DRUGS AND DRUG RESISTANCE, v. 7, n. 1, p. 1-11, APR 2017. (13/10133-8, 16/00468-0, 13/16297-2, 15/11936-2)

JESUS, JESSICA A.; LAGO, JOAO HENRIQUE G.; LAURENTI, MARCIA D.; YAMAMOTO, EDUARDO S.; PASSERO, LUIZ FELIPE D.. Antimicrobial Activity of Oleanolic and Ursolic Acids: An Update. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015. (13/10133-8, 13/16297-2)

JESUS, JESSICA A.; LAGO, JOAO HENRIQUE G.; LAURENTI, MARCIA D.; YAMAMOTO, EDUARDO S.; PASSERO, LUIZ FELIPE D.. Antimicrobial Activity of Oleanolic and Ursolic Acids: An Update. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, v. 2015, p. 14-pg., 2015-01-01. (13/10133-8, 13/16297-2)