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Santos Porto D, da Costa Bernardo Port B, Conte J, Fretes Argenta D, Pereira Balleste M, Amadeu Micke G, Machado Campos Â, Silva Caumo K, Caon T. Development of ophthalmic nanoemulsions of β-caryophyllene for the treatment of Acanthamoeba keratitis. Int J Pharm 2024; 659:124252. [PMID: 38782149 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2024.124252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 05/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Although rare, amoebic keratitis (AK) is a disease caused by Acanthamoeba spp. that can lead to blindness. The drugs currently available for its treatment are very toxic, which has motivated the investigation for more effective and safe therapeutic options. In this study, the in vitro activity of ß-caryophyllene (BCP) was exploited taking into account its action against other protozoans as well as its well-known healing and anti-inflammatory properties (aspects relevant for the AK pathogenesis). On the other hand, high volatilization and oxidation phenomena are found for this compound, which led to its incorporation into nanoemulsions (NEs). Two emulsifying agents were tested, resulting in monodisperse systems with reduced droplet size (<265 nm) and high surface charge (positive and negative for NEs prepared with cetrimonium bromide -CTAB and Phosal® 50+, respectively). NEs prepared with CTAB were shown to be more stable after long-term storage at 4 and 25 °C than those prepared with Phosal®. Pure BCP, at the highest concentration (500 µM), resulted in a level of inhibition of Acanthamoeba trophozoites equivalent to that of reference drug (chlorhexidine). This activity was even greater after oil nanoencapsulation. The reduced droplet size could improve the interaction of the oil with the microorganism, justifying this finding. Changes in surface charge did not impact the activity. Positively charged NEs improved the interaction and retention of BCP in the cornea and thus should be prioritized for further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas Santos Porto
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900, Brazil
| | | | - Júlia Conte
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900, Brazil
| | - Debora Fretes Argenta
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900, Brazil
| | - Maira Pereira Balleste
- Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Amadeu Micke
- Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900, Brazil
| | - Ângela Machado Campos
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900, Brazil
| | - Karin Silva Caumo
- Department of Clinical Analyses, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900, Brazil
| | - Thiago Caon
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900, Brazil.
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2
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Hamdi A, Horchani M, Jannet HB, Snoussi M, Noumi E, Bouali N, Kadri A, Polito F, De Feo V, Edziri H. In Vitro Screening of Antimicrobial and Anti-Coagulant Activities, ADME Profiling, and Molecular Docking Study of Citrus limon L. and Citrus paradisi L. Cold-Pressed Volatile Oils. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1669. [PMID: 38139796 PMCID: PMC10748103 DOI: 10.3390/ph16121669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Citrus, which belongs to the Rutaceae family, is a very widespread genus in the Mediterranean Basin. In Tunisia, various parts of these spontaneous or cultivated plants are used in common dishes or in traditional medicine. The purpose of this work was to investigate C. limon and C. paradisi essential oil (EO). The samples were studied for their chemical composition using SPME/MS, as well as their antibacterial and antifungal activities. Prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) methods were used to evaluate the anticoagulant potentialities. The obtained results show that both essential oils are rich in monoterpenes hydrocarbons, whereby limonene is the main compound in C. paradisi EO (86.8%) and C. limon EO (60.6%). Moreover, C. paradisi EO contains β-pinene (13.3%), sabinene (2.2%) and α-pinene (2.1%). The antibacterial assay of the essential oils showed important bactericidal and fungicidal effects against all strains tested. In fact, the MICs values of C. limon EO ranged from 0.625 to 2.5 mg/mL against all Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and from 6.25 to 12.5 mg/mL for Candida spp. strains, while C. paradisi EO was more active against all bacteria with low MICs values ranging from 0.192 to 0.786 mg/mL, and about 1.5 mg/mL against Candida species. Both tested Citrus EOs exhibited interesting anticoagulant activities as compared to heparin. The molecular docking approach was used to study the binding affinity and molecular interactions of all identified compounds with active sites of cytidine deaminase from Klebsiella pneumoniae (PDB: 6K63) and the C (30) carotenoid dehydrosqualene synthase from Staphylococcus aureus (PDB: 2ZCQ). The obtained results show that limonene had the highest binding score of -4.6 kcal.mol-1 with 6K63 enzyme, and -6.7 kcal.mol-1 with 2ZCQ receptor. The ADME profiling of the major constituents confirmed their important pharmacokinetic and drug-like properties. Hence, the obtained results highlight the potential use of both C. limon and C. paradisi essential oils as sources of bioactive compounds with antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-coagulant activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Assia Hamdi
- Laboratory of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Development of Drugs, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia;
| | - Mabrouk Horchani
- Laboratory of Heterocyclic Chemistry, Natural Products and Reactivity, Medicinal Chemistry and Natural Products (LR11ES39), Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science of Monastir, University of Monastir, Avenue of Environment, Monastir 5019, Tunisia; (M.H.); (H.B.J.)
| | - Hichem Ben Jannet
- Laboratory of Heterocyclic Chemistry, Natural Products and Reactivity, Medicinal Chemistry and Natural Products (LR11ES39), Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science of Monastir, University of Monastir, Avenue of Environment, Monastir 5019, Tunisia; (M.H.); (H.B.J.)
| | - Mejdi Snoussi
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Ha’il, Hail 2440, Saudi Arabia; (E.N.); (N.B.)
- Medical and Diagnostic Research Centre, University of Ha’il, Hail 55473, Saudi Arabia
| | - Emira Noumi
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Ha’il, Hail 2440, Saudi Arabia; (E.N.); (N.B.)
- Medical and Diagnostic Research Centre, University of Ha’il, Hail 55473, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nouha Bouali
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Ha’il, Hail 2440, Saudi Arabia; (E.N.); (N.B.)
- Medical and Diagnostic Research Centre, University of Ha’il, Hail 55473, Saudi Arabia
| | - Adel Kadri
- College of Science and Arts in Baljurashi, Al Baha University, Al Baha 65527, Saudi Arabia;
- Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology Applied to Crop Improvement, Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax 3000, Tunisia
| | - Flavio Polito
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy;
| | - Vincenzo De Feo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy;
| | - Hayet Edziri
- Laboratory of Transmissible Diseases and Biologically Active Substances, Faculty of Pharmacy, Monastir 5000, Tunisia;
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3
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Anagnostou C, Beteinakis S, Papachristodoulou A, Pachi VK, Dionysopoulou M, Dimou S, Diallinas G, Skaltsounis LA, Halabalaki M. Phytochemical investigation of Pistacia lentiscus L. var. Chia leaves: A byproduct with antimicrobial potential. Fitoterapia 2023; 170:105648. [PMID: 37562489 DOI: 10.1016/j.fitote.2023.105648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Pistacia lentiscus L. var. Chia belongs to the Anacardiaceae family, and it is cultivated only in the south part of Chios island, in Greece. Even though it is renowned for its unique resin, Chios mastic gum (CMG), the tree leaves have also been used in traditional medicine, while the annual pruning generates a large biomass of unused by-products. Thus, the aim of the present study was the detailed phytochemical investigation of P. lentiscus var. Chia leaves towards the search of antimicrobial agents. UPLC-HRMS & HRMS/MS based dereplication methods led to the detailed characterization of the aqueous leaf extract. In addition, twelve compounds were isolated and purified from the methanol extract and were identified using spectroscopic and spectrometric methods (NMR, HRMS) belonging to phenolic acids, tannins, flavonoids and terpenes, with the most interesting being 2-hydroxy-1,8-cineole β-D-glucopyranoside which was isolated for the first time in the Anacardiaceae family. Remarkably, based on NMR data, methanol and aqueous extracts were found to be particularly rich in shikimic acid, a valuable building block for the pharmaceutical industry, for instance in the synthesis of the active ingredient of Tamiflu®, oseltamivir. Finally, extracts (EtOAc, MeOH, H2O) and major compounds i.e., shikimic acid, 2-hydroxy-1,8-cineole β-D-glucopyranoside and myricitrin were evaluated for their antimicrobial properties. MeOH and H2O mastic leaf extracts as well as myricitrin and, particularly, 2-hydroxy-1,8-cineole β-D-glucopyranoside showed significant selective activity against pathogenic Mucorales, but not against Aspergilli (Aspergillus nidulans, Aspergillus fumigatus), Candida albicans or bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis).
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Affiliation(s)
- Christodoulos Anagnostou
- Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Zografou, 15771 Athens, Greece
| | - Stavros Beteinakis
- Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Zografou, 15771 Athens, Greece
| | - Anastasia Papachristodoulou
- Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Zografou, 15771 Athens, Greece
| | - Vasiliki K Pachi
- Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Zografou, 15771 Athens, Greece
| | - Mariangela Dionysopoulou
- Section of Botany, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Zografou, 15781 Athens, Greece
| | - Sofia Dimou
- Section of Botany, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Zografou, 15781 Athens, Greece
| | - George Diallinas
- Section of Botany, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Zografou, 15781 Athens, Greece
| | - Leandros A Skaltsounis
- Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Zografou, 15771 Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Halabalaki
- Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Zografou, 15771 Athens, Greece.
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4
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Garcia AR, Amaral ACF, Maria ACB, Paz MM, Amorim MMB, Chaves FCM, Vermelho AB, Nico D, Rodrigues IA. Antileishmanial Screening, Cytotoxicity, and Chemical Composition of Essential Oils: A Special Focus on Piper callosum Essential Oil. Chem Biodivers 2023; 20:e202200689. [PMID: 36565272 DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.202200689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Leishmania amazonensis is the etiological agent of tegumentary leishmaniasis, a disease characterized by the emergence of cutaneous and mucocutaneous ulcerated lesions that can evolve into severe destruction of skin tissue. Treatment of the disease is often accompanied by high toxicity and variable efficacy. Essential oils stand out for having diverse pharmacological properties. Here, we screened a panel of fourteen essential oils for their anti-L. amazonensis activity, cytotoxicity, and chemical profile. Lippia sidoides (LSEO) and Piper callosum (PCEO) oils displayed the best anti-promastigote and anti-amastigote activities with IC50 of 31 and 21 μg/ml, respectively. PCEO was the safest oil with a desirable selectivity index >10. In addition, PCEO showed no cytotoxicity against the VERO line and erythrocytes. PCEO-treated amastigotes displayed mitochondrial membrane depolarization and high levels of intracellular ROS. Safrole (54.72 %) was the main component of PCEO. The results described here highlight the use of essential oils to combat tegumentary leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreza R Garcia
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Ana Claudia F Amaral
- Laboratório de Produtos Naturais e Derivados, Departamento de Produtos Naturais, Farmanguinhos, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 22775-903, Brazil
| | - Ana Clara B Maria
- Laboratório de Produtos Naturais e Derivados, Departamento de Produtos Naturais, Farmanguinhos, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 22775-903, Brazil
| | - Mariana M Paz
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Mariana M B Amorim
- Instituto Municipal de Vigilância Sanitária, Vigilância de Zoonoses e de Inspeção Agropecuária, Rio de Janeiro, 22290-240, Brazil
| | | | - Alane B Vermelho
- Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Dirlei Nico
- Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Igor A Rodrigues
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil.,Departamento de Produtos Naturais e Alimentos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
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5
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Salt-Tolerant Plants as Sources of Antiparasitic Agents for Human Use: A Comprehensive Review. Mar Drugs 2023; 21:md21020066. [PMID: 36827107 PMCID: PMC9967096 DOI: 10.3390/md21020066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitic diseases, especially those caused by protozoans and helminths, such as malaria, trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis, and lymphatic filariasis, are the cause of millions of morbidities and deaths every year, mainly in tropical regions. Nature has always provided valuable antiparasitic agents, and efforts targeting the identification of antiparasitic drugs from plants have mainly focused on glycophytes. However, salt-tolerant plants (halophytes) have lately attracted the interest of the scientific community due to their medicinal assets, which include antiparasitic properties. This review paper gathers the most relevant information on antiparasitic properties of halophyte plants, targeting human uses. It includes an introduction section containing a summary of some of the most pertinent characteristics of halophytes, followed by information regarding the ethnomedicinal uses of several species towards human parasitic diseases. Then, information is provided related to the antiprotozoal and anthelmintic properties of halophytes, determined by in vitro and in vivo methods, and with the bioactive metabolites that may be related to such properties. Finally, a conclusion section is presented, addressing perspectives for the sustainable exploitation of selected species.
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6
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Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitory Activity and Chemical Composition of Pistacia chinensis Leaf Essential Oil. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14101982. [PMID: 36297418 PMCID: PMC9609098 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14101982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Gout is a common metabolic disease caused by abnormal purine metabolism that promotes the formation and deposition of monosodium urate crystals within joints that causes acute arthritis and can seriously affect the daily life of patients. Pistacia chinensis is one of the traditional medicinal plants of the Anacardiaceae family, and there have been many studies on its biological activity, including anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, antibacterial, antioxidant, and hypoglycemic activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antigout effect of P. chinensis leaf essential oil and its constituents through xanthine oxidase inhibition. Leaf essential oil showed good xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity for both substrates, hypoxanthine and xanthine. Six fractions were obtained from open column chromatography, and fraction E1 exhibited the best activity. The constituents of leaf essential oil and fraction E1 were analyzed by GC-MS. The main constituents of both leaf essential oil and fraction E1 were limonene and 3-carene; limonene showed a higher inhibitory effect on xanthine oxidase. Based on the enzyme kinetic investigation, limonene was the mixed-type inhibitor against xanthine oxidase. The results revealed that Pistacia chinensis leaf essential oil and limonene have the potential to act as natural remedies for the treatment of gout.
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7
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Bouabdallah S, Cianfaglione K, Azzouz M, Batiha GES, Alkhuriji AF, Al-Megrin WAI, Ben-Attia M, Eldahshan OA. Sustainable Extraction, Chemical Profile, Cytotoxic and Antileishmanial Activities In-Vitro of Some Citrus Species Leaves Essential Oils. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15091163. [PMID: 36145384 PMCID: PMC9501829 DOI: 10.3390/ph15091163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Anti-leishmanial drugs extracted from natural sources have not been sufficiently explored in the literature. Until now, leishmaniasis treatments have been limited to synthetic and expensive drugs. This study investigated, for the first time, the anti-leishmanial efficacy of essential oils (EOs) from the leaves of Citrus species (C. sinensis, C. limon, and C. clementina). Essential oils were extracted from three species by solvent free microwave extraction (SFME); in addition, lemon oil was also isolated by hydro-distillation (HD). These were investigated using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and evaluated against Leishmania species, namely Leishmania major and Leishmania infantum, using a mitochondrial tetrazolium test (MTT) assay. The chemical compositions of Citrus limon EOs obtained by HD and SFME showed some differences. The identified peaks of C. limon (SFME) represented 93.96%, where linalool was the major peak (44.21%), followed by sabinene (14.22%) and ocimene (6.09%). While the hydro-distilled oil of C. limon contained geranial (30.08%), limonene (27.09%), and neral (22.87%) in the identified peaks (96.67%). The identified components of C. clementina leaves oil (68.54%) showed twenty-six compounds, where the predominant compound was geranial (42.40%), followed by neral (26.79%) and limonene (14.48%). However, 89.82% C. sinensis oil was identified, where the major peaks were for neral (27.52%), linalool (25.83%), and geranial (23.44%). HD oil of lemon showed the highest activity against L. major, with moderate toxicity on murine macrophage (RAW 264.7) cells, and possessed the best selectivity index on both Leishmanial species (SI: 3.68; 6.38), followed by C. clementina oil and C. limon using SFME (0.9 ± 0.29, 1.03 ± 0.27, and 1.13 ± 0.3), respectively. C. clementina oil induced the greatest activity on Leishmania infantum, followed by HD lemon and SFME lemon oils (0.32 ± 0.18, 0.52 ± 0.15, and 0.57 ± 0.09, respectively) when compared to Amphotericin B (0.80 ± 0.18 and 0.23 ± 0.13) as a positive control, on both species, respectively. Our study suggests a potent anti-leishmanial activity of lemon oil (HD) on L. major, followed by C. clementina. With the same potency on L. infantum shown by C. clementina oil, followed by HD lemon oil. This effect could be attributed to the major compounds of limonene, citral, and neral, as well as the synergistic effect of other different compounds. These observations could be a starting point for the building of new anti-leishmanial drugs from natural origins, and which combine different EOs containing Citrus cultivars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salwa Bouabdallah
- Environmental Biomonitoring Laboratory LBE (LR01/ES14), Faculty of Sciences Bizerta, Carthage University, Zarzouna 7021, Tunisia
- Correspondence: (S.B.); (O.A.E.)
| | | | - Myriam Azzouz
- Department of Mathematics Computer Science, Paris Dauphine University, F-75016 Paris, France
- Multiverse Computing 170, 20014 Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Gaber El-Saber Batiha
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Damanhour 22511, Egypt
| | - Afrah Fahad Alkhuriji
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Wafa Abdullah I. Al-Megrin
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mossadok Ben-Attia
- Environmental Biomonitoring Laboratory LBE (LR01/ES14), Faculty of Sciences Bizerta, Carthage University, Zarzouna 7021, Tunisia
| | - Omayma A. Eldahshan
- Pharmacognosy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Cairo 11566, Egypt
- Correspondence: (S.B.); (O.A.E.)
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8
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Islamuddin M, Ali A, Afzal O, Ali A, Ali I, Altamimi AS, Alamri MA, Kato K, Parveen S. Thymoquinone Induced Leishmanicidal Effect via Programmed Cell Death in Leishmania donovani. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:10718-10728. [PMID: 35382308 PMCID: PMC8973115 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c00467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or kala-azar is a vector-borne dreaded protozoal infection that is caused by the parasite Leishmania donovani. With increases in the dramatic infection rates, present drug toxicity, resistance, and the absence of an approved vaccine, the development of new antileishmanial compounds from plant sources remains the keystone for the control of visceral leishmaniasis. In this study, we evaluated the leishmanicidal effect of thymoquinone against L. donovani with an in vitro and ex vivo model. Thymoquinone exhibited potent antipromastigote activity with IC50 and IC90 concentrations achieved at 6.33 ± 1.21 and 20.71 ± 2.15 μM, respectively, whereas the IC50 and IC90 concentrations were found to be 7.83 ± 1.65 and 27.25 ± 2.20 μM against the intramacrophagic form of amastigotes, respectively. Morphological changes in promastigotes and growth reversibility study following treatment confirmed the leishmanicidal effect of thymoquinone. Further, thymoquinone exhibited leishmanicidal activities against L. donovani promastigote through cytoplasmic shrinkage, membrane blebbing, chromatin condensation, cellular and nuclear shrinkage, and DNA fragmentation, as observed under scanning and transmission electron microscopy analyses. The antileishmanial activity was exerted via programmed cell death as proved by exposure of phosphatidylserine, DNA nicking by TUNEL assay, and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Thymoquinone at a concentration of 200 μM was devoid of any cytotoxic effects against mammalian macrophage cells. Thymoquinone showed strong leishmanicidal activity against L. donovani, which is mediated via an apoptosis mode of parasitic cell death, and accordingly, thymoquinone may be the source of a new lead molecule for the cure of VL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Islamuddin
- Molecular
Virology Laboratory, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic
Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi 110025, India
- Laboratory
of Sustainable Animal Environment, Graduate School of Agricultural
Science, Tohoku University, Miyagi 989-6711, Japan
| | - Abuzer Ali
- Department
of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Taif
University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Obaid Afzal
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amena Ali
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Intzar Ali
- Department
of Microbiology, Hamdard Institute of Medical
Sciences & Research, New Delhi 110062, India
| | | | - Mubarak A. Alamri
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kentaro Kato
- Laboratory
of Sustainable Animal Environment, Graduate School of Agricultural
Science, Tohoku University, Miyagi 989-6711, Japan
| | - Shama Parveen
- Molecular
Virology Laboratory, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic
Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi 110025, India
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9
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Leishmanicidal activity of Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:751-762. [PMID: 34988671 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07421-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease that affects millions of people, mostly in developing countries. Although this disease has a high impact on public health, there are few drug options to treat the different leishmaniasis forms. Additionally, these current therapies have various adverse effects, including gastrointestinal disturbances, headache, pancreatitis, and hepatotoxicity. Thus, it is essential to develop new drug prototypes to treat leishmaniasis. Accordingly, the present study aimed to evaluate the leishmanicidal activity of Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts and their O-acetylates, carboxylic acid derivatives, and acid and ester derivatives of 2-methyl-phenylpropanoids against Leishmania chagasi. Initially, we evaluated the cytotoxicity of 16 derivatives (1-16G) against J774A.1 macrophages. Eight derivatives (2G, 4G, 5G, 7G, 9G, 10G, 13G, and 15G) showed no cytotoxicity at up to the maximum concentration tested (100 μM). When evaluated for antileishmanial effect against promastigote forms, 1G, 6G, 8G, 10G, 11G, 13G, 14G, 15G, and 16G displayed significant toxicity compared to the control (0.1% DMSO). Additionally, the compounds 1G, 5G, 7G, 9G, 11G, 13G, 14G, and 16G reduced macrophage infection by amastigotes. Thus, we conclude that these derivatives have antileishmanial effects, particularly 1G, which showed activity against promastigotes and amastigotes, and low toxicity against macrophages.
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