Therapeutic effect of ursolic acid in experimental visceral leishmaniasis

Autor(es)

Jesus, Jessica A. ; Fragoso, Thais N. ; Yamamoto, Eduardo S. ; Laurenti, Marcia D. ; Silva, Marcelo S. ; Ferreira, Aurea F. ; Lago, Joao Henrique G. ; Gomes, Gabriela S. ; Passero, Luiz Felipe D.

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-DRUGS AND DRUG RESISTANCE; v. 7, n. 1, p. 1-11, APR 2017.
• Citações Web of Science: 15

Resumo

Leishmaniasis is an important neglected tropical disease, affecting more than 12 million people worldwide. The available treatments are not well tolerated and present diverse side effects in patients, justifying the search for new therapeutic compounds. In the present study, the therapeutic potential and toxicity of ursolic acid (UA), isolated from the leaves of Baccharis uncinella C. DC. (Asteraceae), were evaluated in experimental visceral leishmaniasis. To evaluate the therapeutic potential of UA, hamsters infected with L. (L.) infantum were treated daily during 15 days with 1.0 or 2.0 mg UA/kg body weight, or with 5.0 mg amphotericin B/kg body weight by intraperitoneal route. Fifteen days after the last dose, the parasitism of the spleen and liver was stimated and the main histopathological alterations were recorded. The proliferation of splenic mononuclear cells was evaluated and IFN-gamma, IL-4, and IL-10 gene expressions were analyzed in spleen fragments. The toxicity of UA and amphotericin B were evaluated in healthy golden hamsters by histological analysis and biochemical parameters. Animals treated with UA had less parasites in the spleen and liver when compared with the infected control group, and they also showed preservation of white and red pulps, which correlate with a high rate of proliferation of splenic mononuclear cells, IFN-g mRNA and iNOS production. Moreover, animals treated with UA did not present alterations in the levels of AST, ALT, creatinine and urea. Taken together, these findings indicate that UA is an interesting natural compound that should be considered for the development of prototype drugs against visceral leishmaniasis. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Australian Society for Parasitology. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 13/10133-8 - Análise da ação terapêutica dos ácidos oleanólico e ursólico na leishmaniose visceral experimental
• Beneficiário: Jéssica Adriana de Jesus
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Mestrado
• Processo FAPESP: 16/00468-0 - Uso do reposicionamento de fármacos e da bioprospecção de produtos naturais para caracterizar compostos com ação leishmanicida in vitro e in vivo
• Beneficiário: Luiz Felipe Domingues Passero
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 13/16297-2 - Análise dos potenciais anti-Leishmania e anti-Tripanossoma dos ácidos oleanólico e ursólico
• Beneficiário: Luiz Felipe Domingues Passero
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 15/11936-2 - Emprego da quimiodiversidade de espécies vegetais de áreas remanescentes da Mata Atlântica do Estado de São Paulo na seleção de protótipos biologicamente ativos
• Beneficiário: João Henrique Ghilardi Lago
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular