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(Reference retrieved automatically from SciELO through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Aurapten, a coumarin with growth inhibition against Leishmania major promastigotes

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Author(s):
H.B. Napolitano [1] ; M. Silva [2] ; J. Ellena [3] ; B.D.G. Rodrigues [4] ; A.L.C. Almeida [5] ; P.C. Vieira [6] ; G. Oliva [7] ; O.H. Thiemann [8]
Total Authors: 8
Affiliation:
[1] Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto de Física de São Carlos. Laboratório de Proteína, Cristalografia e Biologia Estructural - Brasil
[2] Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto de Física de São Carlos. Laboratório de Proteína, Cristalografia e Biologia Estructural - Brasil
[3] Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto de Física de São Carlos. Laboratório de Proteína, Cristalografia e Biologia Estructural - Brasil
[4] Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto de Física de São Carlos. Laboratório de Proteína, Cristalografia e Biologia Estructural - Brasil
[5] Universidade Federal de São Carlos. Departamento de Química - Brasil
[6] Universidade Federal de São Carlos. Departamento de Química - Brasil
[7] Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto de Física de São Carlos. Laboratório de Proteína, Cristalografia e Biologia Estructural - Brasil
[8] Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto de Física de São Carlos. Laboratório de Proteína, Cristalografia e Biologia Estructural - Brasil
Total Affiliations: 8
Document type: Journal article
Source: Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research; v. 37, n. 12, p. 1847-1852, 2004-12-00.
Abstract

Several natural compounds have been identified for the treatment of leishmaniasis. Among them are some alkaloids, chalcones, lactones, tetralones, and saponins. The new compound reported here, 7-geranyloxycoumarin, called aurapten, belongs to the chemical class of the coumarins and has a molecular weight of 298.37. The compund was extracted from the Rutaceae species Esenbeckia febrifuga and was purified from a hexane extract starting from 407.7 g of dried leaves and followed by four silica gel chromatographic fractionation steps using different solvents as the mobile phase. The resulting compound (47 mg) of shows significant growth inhibition with an LD50 of 30 µM against the tropical parasite Leishmania major, which causes severe clinical manifestations in humans and is endemic in the tropical and subtropical regions. In the present study, we investigated the atomic structure of aurapten in order to determine the existence of common structural motifs that might be related to other coumarins and potentially to other identified inhibitors of Leishmania growth and viability. This compound has a comparable inhibitory activity of other isolated molecules. The aurapten is a planar molecule constituted of an aromatic system with electron delocalization. A hydrophobic side chain consisting of ten carbon atoms with two double bonds and negative density has been identified and may be relevant for further compound synthesis. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 99/02874-9 - The sugarcane EST project
Grantee:Otavio Henrique Thiemann
Support Opportunities: Genome Research Grants