In vitro anthelmintic activity of praziquantel and mefenamic acid nanocarreated

• Grant number: 19/25289-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): August 01, 2020
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Helminthology of Parasites
• Principal Investigator: Josué de Moraes
• Grantee: Vinícius de Castro Rodrigues
• Host Institution: Universidade Universus Veritas Guarulhos (Univeritas UNG). Guarulhos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Helminth diseases are a major public health problem in dozens of countries, especially in low-income families. Considered "Neglected Diseases", helminthiases not only prevail in conditions of poverty, but also represent a strong obstacle to the development of countries and are crucial in maintaining the inequality picture. Unfortunately, therapeutic options are insufficient, whose scenario is aggravated by the neglect of the pharmaceutical industry in the development of new drugs for the low income population. Considering that the search for new drugs is a long and expensive process, "drug repositioning" is a promising strategy. Indeed, based on new uses for existing drugs, drug repositioning is an approach that makes it advantageous to reduce research time and cost. In this context, recent studies from our group (FAPESP grant #2016/22488-3) have shown that some drugs used in other pathologies also have antiparasitic action on Schistosoma mansoni, the worm responsible for schistosomiasis. In addition, a recent partnership between researchers from São Paulo and the Federal District (FAPDF/FAPESP Cooperation Agreement #2019/23504-0, under analysis) aims to develop low cost formulations in the form of dispersion of nanoemulsions that carry drugs that previously had anthelmintic properties in S. mansoni. At this sense, the purpose of this project is to evaluate, in vitro, the viability of Schistosoma mansoni worms in the presence of two previously nanocarreated drugs: paraziquantel and mefenamic acid. Moreover, this proposal aims to evaluate mammalian cell toxicity and determination of selectivity index.

Scientific publications

(5)

(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)

CARNAUBA, PAULO U.; MENGARDA, ANA C.; RODRIGUES, VINICIUS C.; MORAIS, THIAGO R.; DE OLIVEIRA, ALBERTO; LAGO, JOAO HENRIQUE G.; DE MORAES, JOSUE. Evaluation of Gibbilimbol B, Isolated from Piper malacophyllum (Piperaceae), as an Antischistosomal Agent. CHEMISTRY & BIODIVERSITY, v. 18, n. 10, SEP 2021. (16/22488-3, 19/25289-0, 21/02789-7, 19/25905-2)

MENGARDA, ANA C.; SILVA, MARCOS P.; CIRINO, MARIA E.; MORAIS, THIAGO R.; CONSERVA, GEANNE A. A.; LAGO, JOAO HENRIQUE G.; DE MORAES, JOSUE. Licarin A, a neolignan isolated from Nectandra oppositifolia Nees & Mart. (Lauraceae), exhibited moderate preclinical efficacy against Schistosoma mansoni infection. Phytotherapy Research, v. 35, n. 9, p. 5154-5162, SEP 2021. (16/22488-3, 18/07885-1, 19/25289-0, 19/25905-2)

SILVA, TAIS C.; MENGARDA, ANA C.; SILVA, BIANCA C.; RELVAS-LIMA, THAIS S.; RODRIGUES, VINICIUS C.; SALVADORI, MARIA C.; TEIXEIRA, FERNANDA S.; LOPES, ANDREY F. S.; RANDO, DANIELA G. G.; MORAES, JOSUE DE. New evidence for tamoxifen as an antischistosomal agent: in vitro, in vivo and target fishing studies. Future Medicinal Chemistry, v. 13, n. 11, JUN 2021. (16/22488-3, 19/25905-2, 19/25289-0)

MENGARDA, ANA C.; SILVA, MARCOS P.; CIRINO, MARIA E.; MORAIS, THIAGO R.; CONSERVA, GEANNE A. A.; LAGO, JOAO HENRIQUE G.; DE MORAES, JOSUE. Licarin A, a neolignan isolated from Nectandra oppositifolia Nees & Mart. (Lauraceae), exhibited moderate preclinical efficacy against Schistosoma mansoni infection. Phytotherapy Research, JUN 2021. (16/22488-3, 19/25289-0, 19/25905-2, 18/07885-1)

SILVA, BIANCA C.; MENGARDA, ANA C.; RODRIGUES, VINICIUS C.; CAJAS, RAYSSA A.; CARNAUBA, PAULO U.; ESPIRITO-SANTO, MARIA CRISTINA C.; BEZERRA-FILHO, CARLOS S. M.; DE SOUSA, DAMIAO P.; DE MORAES, JOSUE. Efficacy of carvacryl acetate in vitro and following oral administration to mice harboring either prepatent or patent Schistosoma mansoni infections. Parasitology Research, v. 120, n. 11, OCT 2021. (19/25905-2, 16/22488-3, 19/25289-0)