Abstract

LEITE, Nadghia F et al. In vitro cytotoxic and antiparasitic activity of caryophyllene and eugenol against Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania brasiliensis. Rev Cubana Plant Med [online]. 2013, vol.18, n.4, pp. 522-528. ISSN 1028-4796.

Introduction: neglected diseases continue to exist due to failures in science. They mainly affect developing countries. Two examples of neglected diseases are Chagas' disease and leishmaniasis. Objective: evaluate the potential of an in vitro antiparasitic terpenoid essential oil component, caryophyllene and eugenol, against epimastigotes and promastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania brasiliensis, respectively, and verify their cytotoxicity in mammal cells. Methods: for in vitro studies of Trypanosoma cruzi, the B5-CL clone was used, stably transfected with the beta-galactosidase gene of Escherichia coli-(lacZ). Inhibition assays were performed on the promastigote strain of Leishmania braziliensis, cultured at 22°C in a Schneider's medium of Drosophila supplemented with 20% FBS. For anti-epimastigote and anti-promastigote activity tests, 96-well plates were used with cultures which had not reached their stationary stage. NCTC929 was used in cytotoxicity tests, a strain of fibroblasts cultured in minimum essential medium (Sigma). The viability of these strains was evaluated using resazurine as colorimetric method. Results: the substances caryophyllene and eugenol were assayed to determine their anti-epimastigote and anti-promastigote activity with respect to cytotoxicity. it was found that caryophyllene has a clinically relevant effect against the parasites Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania brasiliensis. Conclusions: results show that caryophyllene was more effective than eugenol, inhibiting the growth of parasites and thus constituting a proven alternative against Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania brasiliensis. As to cytotoxicity testing, new studies should be conducted in which more in vivo tests are performed.

Keywords : anti-epimastigote activity; anti-promastigote activity; caryophyllene; eugenol.

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