Investigating the leishmanicidal potential in vitro of extracts from Hyptis pectinata

• Grant number: 18/03396-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: May 01, 2018
• End date: April 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Protozoology of Parasites
• Principal Investigator: Fernanda de Freitas Anibal
• Grantee: Camila Tita Nogueira
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Leishmaniasis emerged as the third most prevalent parasitic disease in the world after malaria and filariasis, with about 350 million people at risk of infection. Currently available medications have several limitations, mainly due to the resistance of the parasite and its adverse effects. Therefore, the search for new compounds is of an emergency nature and has been undertaken worldwide, mainly for visceral leishmaniasis, which if untreated can be fatal in more than 50% of cases. Phytotherapy has been shown to be a promising alternative in the search for new molecules that may have leishmanicidal effects. Thus, the proposal of this project is to evaluate the leishmanicidal action of compounds extracted from Hyptis pectinata against Leishmania chagasi, L. donovani and L. major, in order to provide new treatment options that may contribute to a better control of these diseases. For this, the possible targets for new drugs will be evaluated through proteomics studies.