Chemical study of endophytic microorganisms isolated from Malouetia tamaquarina (Apocynaceae) active against Neglected Tropical Diseases

• Grant number: 20/16787-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2021
• End date: January 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Mônica Tallarico Pupo
• Grantee: Matheus Henrique da Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/07600-3 - CIBFar - Center for Innovation in Biodiversity and Drug Discovery, AP.CEPID

Abstract

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are a set of diseases strongly present in developing countries, with precarious access to health and basic sanitation systems, prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions. Although there are programs for the prevention and eradication of NTDs, such as Chagas Disease and Leishmaniasis, few drugs are available for treatment, with relevant adverse reactions. Endophytes are microorganisms (fungi or bacteria) that live all or half of their life cycle inside plant tissues, without causing any visible disease symptoms. Natural products isolated from endophytic microorganisms are an alternative and promising source for NTDs treatment. In previous work by our research group, extracts of endophytic microorganisms isolated from the Malouetia tamaquarina (Aubl.) A. DC. plant, belonging to the Malouetieae tribe, family Apocynaceae, demonstrated excellent inhibition against the protozoan Leishmania infantum and Trypanosoma cruzi, and also microbial activity against human pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans). In this way, the aim of this work is to isolate and to elucidate the structures of bioactive compounds against NTDs from isolated microorganisms from M. tamaquarina. Thus, the selected microorganisms will be fermented in a large scale for greater production of extracts, followed by fractionation, purification using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and structural characterization using mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).