Ortiz JE, Piñeiro M, Martinez-Peinado N, Barrera P, Sosa M, Bastida J, Alonso-Padilla J, Feresin GE. Candimine from Hippeastrum escoipense (Amaryllidaceae): Anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activity and synergistic effect with benznidazole.
PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2023;
114:154788. [PMID:
37037085 DOI:
10.1016/j.phymed.2023.154788]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Chagas disease (CD), caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, represents a health threat to around 20 million people worldwide. Side effects of benznidazole (Bzn) cause 15-20% of patients to discontinue their treatment. Evidence has increased in favor of the use of drug combinations to improve the efficacy and tolerance of the treatment. Natural products are well known to provide structures that could serve as new drugs or scaffolds for CD treatment. Spp of the Amaryllidoideae sub family of Amaryllidaceae family are known by their bioactives alkaloids, which have been reported by their antiparasitic activities.
PURPOSE
To evaluate the anti-T. cruzi activity of the isolated alkaloid candimine (Cnd) from Hippeastrum escoipense Slanis & Huaylla; and to assess the combination effect between Cnd and Bzn against different life stages of T. cruzi parasites.
METHODS
The chemical profile of H. escoipense alkaloids extract (AE-H. escoipense), including quantitation of Cnd was performed through GC/MS and UPLC-MS/MS techniques. Subsequently, Cnd was isolated using Shephadex LH-20. Then, the AE-H. escoipense and Cnd were tested against T. cruzi, (epimastigotes, trypomastigotes, and amastigotes) by in vitro proliferation and viability assays. The cytotoxicity was evaluated against Vero and HepG2 mammalian cells. The ultrastructural analysis was perform by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and mitochondrial activity was carried out by MTT assay. Drug combination assay between Cnd and Bzn was evaluated using the Chou-Talalay method.
RESULTS
The AE-H. escoipense and Cnd showed high and specific anti-T. cruzi activity, comparable to Bzn. Cnd induces ultrastructural changes in T. cruzi, such as vacuolization, membrane blebs, and increased mitochondrial activity. Regarding the interaction between Cnd and Bzn, it generates synergism in the combinations of 0.25×IC50 in epimastigotes, 2×IC50 in trypomastigotes+amastigotes, and 0.25, 2, and 4×IC50 in amastigotes.
CONCLUSION
The synergism between Cnd and Bzn indicates that the combination at the concentration of 4×IC50 could be useful as an effective new therapy against CD in the chronic stage. Thus, Cnd isolated from the leaves of H. escoipense emerges as potential candidate for the development of a new drug for the treatment of CD.
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