Preclinical evaluation for oral administration of nanostructured formulations containing drugs with anthelmintic activity

• Grant number: 19/25905-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: August 01, 2020
• End date: July 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Helminthology of Parasites
• Principal Investigator: Josué de Moraes
• Grantee: Ana Carolina Araujo Mengarda
• Host Institution: Universidade Universus Veritas Guarulhos (Univeritas UNG). Guarulhos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Helminth diseases affect more than 1 billion people worldwide and are considered a major public health problem. Considered as neglected diseases, these diseases not only prevail in conditions of poverty, but also represent an obstacle to the development of countries and are crucial in maintaining the framework of inequality. since new drug design and development is a lengthy and costly process, drug repurposing, whose method is based on new uses for existing drugs, is a promising strategy. In this context, recent studies by our group (FAPESP Grant #2016/22488-3) have shown that some drugs used in other pathologies also have antiparasitic action in Schistosoma mansoni, the worm responsible for Schistosomiasis, a disease that affects more than 200 million people. However, some of these drugs are not available for pediatric patients or need to be administered at doses higher than recommended in clinical practices. Recent partnership between our group and researchers from Distrito Federal (FAPDF/FAPESP Cooperation Agreement #2019/23504-0, under analysis) aims to develop low-cost oral formulations in the form of dispersion of nanoemulsions that carry drugs that previously had anthelmintic properties in S. mansoni. Thus, the present proposal aims to evaluate the therapeutic potential of nanocarried drugs in S. mansoni in vitro and subsequently conduct preclinical trials using S. mansoni-infected mice. It is noteworthy that that nanoformulations are developed for oral use and have the potential to increase gastrointestinal absorption of drugs, which allows reducing the dose administered, thus optimizing the therapeutic protocol. (AU)

Scientific publications

(11)

(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)

DEMATEI, ANDERSON; NUNES, JOAO B.; MOREIRA, DANIEL C.; JESUS, JESSICA A.; LAURENTI, MARCIA D.; MENGARDA, ANA C. A.; VIEIRA, MARIA SILVA; DO AMARAL, CONSTANCA PAIS; DOMINGUES, MARCO M.; DE MORAES, JOSUE; et al. Mechanistic Insights into the Leishmanicidal and Bactericidal Activities of Batroxicidin, a Cathelicidin-Related Peptide from a South American Viper (Bothrops atrox). Journal of Natural Products, v. 84, n. 6, p. 1787-1798, JUN 25 2021. (19/25905-2, 18/24077-6, 16/22488-3)

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)

MORAIS, CRISTIANE S.; MENGARDA, ANA C.; MIGUEL, FABIO B.; ENES, KARINE B.; RODRIGUES, VINICIUS C.; ESPIRITO-SANTO, MARIA CRISTINA C.; SIYADATPANAH, ABOLGHASEM; WILAIRATANA, POLRAT; COURI, MARA R. C.; DE MORAES, JOSUE. Pyrazoline derivatives as promising novel antischistosomal agents. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 11, n. 1, DEC 6 2021. (19/25905-2)

MENGARDA, ANA C.; ILES, BRUNO; F. LONGO, JOAO PAULO; DE MORAES, JOSUE. Recent trends in praziquantel nanoformulations for helminthiasis treatment. Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery, v. 19, n. 4, p. 11-pg., 2022-03-17. (19/25905-2, 20/01441-4)

MENGARDA, ANA C.; ILES, BRUNO; LONGO, JOAO PAULO F.; DE MORAES, JOSUE. Recent approaches in nanocarrier-based therapies for neglected tropical diseases. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-NANOMEDICINE AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY, v. N/A, p. 17-pg., 2022-09-25. (19/25905-2, 20/01441-4)

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, 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)

SILVA, TAIS C.; MENGARDA, ANA C.; LEMES, BRUNA L.; LESCANO, SUSANA A. Z.; SOUZA, DALETE CHRISTINE S.; LAGO, JOAO HENRIQUE G.; DE MORAES, JOSUE. N-(4-Methoxyphenyl)Pentanamide, a Simplified Derivative of Albendazole, Displays Anthelmintic Properties against the Nematode Toxocara canis. MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM, v. N/A, p. 7-pg., 2022-07-28. (19/25905-2, 20/01441-4, 21/02789-7)

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)

ROQUINI, VINICIUS; MENGARDA, ANA C. C.; CAJAS, RAYSSA A. A.; MARTINS-DA-SILVA, MILENE F. F.; GODOY-SILVA, JULIA; SANTOS, GUSTAVO A. A.; ESPIRITO-SANTO, MARIA CRISTINA C.; PAVANI, THAIS F. A.; MELO, VANUSA A. A.; SALVADORI, MARIA C. C.; et al. The Existing Drug Nifuroxazide as an Antischistosomal Agent: In Vitro, In Vivo, and In Silico Studies of Macromolecular Targets. MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM, v. N/A, p. 12-pg., 2023-07-06. (20/01441-4, 19/25905-2, 19/26686-2, 16/22488-3)