Introduction.

Research based on medicinal plants is one of the recommended strategies for the search for new therapeutic alternatives against leishmaniasis. In this study, the potential of products derived from Bixa orellana L. on Leishmania amazonensis, a causal agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), is demonstrated.

Methods.

Bixa seed products (extracts, fractions, sub-fractions and essential oil) were obtained, which were evaluated in different in vitro and in vivo biological models.

Results.

The hydroalcoholic extract caused inhibition of the growth of promastigotes and amastigotes, was able to control the development of experimental CL in BALB/c mice (100 mg/kg/day/15 days/intraperitoneal), and its chemical profile was obtained. Subsequently, a bioguided study was performed with 4 fractions and 28 sub-fractions, which BO-B1 and BO-B3 were promising and a group of aliphatic isomers (bixin and norbicin) were identified. The essential oil was the other product obtained, which was chemically characterized, inhibited the growth of amastigotes, showed a cytotoxicity seven times lower with respect to the activity on the parasite, was effective against the experimental CL (30 mg/kg/day/15 days/intraperitoneal and intralesional) and a specific inhibition of oxygen consumption and mitochondrial complex II was evidenced. The essential oil formulated in nanocochleates showed high efficacy in the murine model when 4 doses were administered intralesionally. The results of this research demonstrate the potential of B. orellana seeds on L. amazonensis for the treatment of CL, a disease with various clinical presentations that currently has limited therapeutic options.

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