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Santos SS, de Araújo RV, Giarolla J, Seoud OE, Ferreira EI. Searching for drugs for Chagas disease, leishmaniasis and schistosomiasis: a review. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2020; 55:105906. [PMID: 31987883 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2020.105906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease, leishmaniasis and schistosomiasis are neglected diseases (NDs) and are a considerable global challenge. Despite the huge number of people infected, NDs do not create interest from pharmaceutical companies because the associated revenue is generally low. Most of the research on these diseases has been conducted in academic institutions. The chemotherapeutic armamentarium for NDs is scarce and inefficient and better drugs are needed. Researchers have found some promising potential drug candidates using medicinal chemistry and computational approaches. Most of these compounds are synthetic but some are from natural sources or are semi-synthetic. Drug repurposing or repositioning has also been greatly stimulated for NDs. This review considers some potential drug candidates and provides details of their design, discovery and activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soraya Silva Santos
- Laboratory of Design and Synthesis of Chemotherapeutics Potentially Active in Neglected Diseases (LAPEN), Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo-USP, Avenue Professor Lineu Prestes, 580-Building 13, São Paulo SP, 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Renan Vinicius de Araújo
- Laboratory of Design and Synthesis of Chemotherapeutics Potentially Active in Neglected Diseases (LAPEN), Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo-USP, Avenue Professor Lineu Prestes, 580-Building 13, São Paulo SP, 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Jeanine Giarolla
- Laboratory of Design and Synthesis of Chemotherapeutics Potentially Active in Neglected Diseases (LAPEN), Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo-USP, Avenue Professor Lineu Prestes, 580-Building 13, São Paulo SP, 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Omar El Seoud
- Laboratory of Design and Synthesis of Chemotherapeutics Potentially Active in Neglected Diseases (LAPEN), Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo-USP, Avenue Professor Lineu Prestes, 580-Building 13, São Paulo SP, 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Elizabeth Igne Ferreira
- Laboratory of Design and Synthesis of Chemotherapeutics Potentially Active in Neglected Diseases (LAPEN), Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo-USP, Avenue Professor Lineu Prestes, 580-Building 13, São Paulo SP, 05508-900, Brazil.
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Talevi A, Carrillo C, Comini M. The Thiol-polyamine Metabolism of Trypanosoma cruzi: Molecular Targets and Drug Repurposing Strategies. Curr Med Chem 2019; 26:6614-6635. [PMID: 30259812 DOI: 10.2174/0929867325666180926151059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Chagas´ disease continues to be a challenging and neglected public health problem in many American countries. The etiologic agent, Trypanosoma cruzi, develops intracellularly in the mammalian host, which hinders treatment efficacy. Progress in the knowledge of parasite biology and host-pathogen interaction has not been paralleled by the development of novel, safe and effective therapeutic options. It is then urgent to seek for novel therapeutic candidates and to implement drug discovery strategies that may accelerate the discovery process. The most appealing targets for pharmacological intervention are those essential for the pathogen and, whenever possible, absent or significantly different from the host homolog. The thiol-polyamine metabolism of T. cruzi offers interesting candidates for a rational design of selective drugs. In this respect, here we critically review the state of the art of the thiolpolyamine metabolism of T. cruzi and the pharmacological potential of its components. On the other hand, drug repurposing emerged as a valid strategy to identify new biological activities for drugs in clinical use, while significantly shortening the long time and high cost associated with de novo drug discovery approaches. Thus, we also discuss the different drug repurposing strategies available with a special emphasis in their applications to the identification of drug candidates targeting essential components of the thiol-polyamine metabolism of T. cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Talevi
- Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Exact Sciences, University of La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Carolina Carrillo
- Instituto de Ciencias y Tecnología Dr. César Milstein (ICT Milstein) - CONICET. Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marcelo Comini
- Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Mataojo 2020, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay
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Aguilera E, Alvarez G, Cerecetto H, González M. Polypharmacology in the Treatment of Chagas Disease. Curr Med Chem 2019; 26:4476-4489. [PMID: 29637852 DOI: 10.2174/0929867325666180410101728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Revised: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 04/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The current treatment of Chagas disease is based on monopharmacology where the used drugs have limited efficacy and severe side effects. In order to overcome these limitations, some tools have been described including the development or isolation of new drugs, drug repositioning, and polypharmacology. Here, we review the polypharmacology strategy where compounds belonging to different structural chemotypes were combined in order to affect different biochemical pathways of T. cruzi parasite. Therefore ergosterol biosynthesis inhibitors, anti-inflammatory agents, cardiac dysfunction drugs, trypanothione reductase inhibitors, vitamins, between others, were combined looking for new anti-Chagas treatment. Natural products were also used in the application of this strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Aguilera
- Grupo de Quimica Medicinal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Guzmán Alvarez
- Grupo de Quimica Medicinal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.,Laboratorio de Moléculas Bioactivas, Centro Universitario Regional Litoral Norte, Universidad de la República, Paysandú, Uruguay
| | - Hugo Cerecetto
- Grupo de Quimica Medicinal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.,Area de Radiofarmacia, Centro de Investigaciones Nucleares, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la Republica, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Mercedes González
- Grupo de Quimica Medicinal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
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Mendonça AAS, Coelho CM, Veloso MP, Caldas IS, Gonçalves RV, Teixeira AL, de Miranda AS, Novaes RD. Relevance of Trypanothione Reductase Inhibitors on Trypanosoma cruzi Infection: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and In Silico Integrated Approach. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2018; 2018:8676578. [PMID: 30473742 PMCID: PMC6220389 DOI: 10.1155/2018/8676578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Due to the rudimentary antioxidant defenses in Trypanosoma cruzi, disruptors of redox balance are promising candidates for new antitrypanosomal drugs. We developed an integrated model based on systematic review, meta-analyses, and molecular modeling to evaluate the effect of trypanothione reductase (TR) inhibitors in T. cruzi infections. Our findings indicated that the TR inhibitors analyzed were effective in reducing parasitemia and mortality due to Trypanosoma cruzi infection in animal models. The most investigated drugs (clomipramine and thioridazine) showed no beneficial effects on the occurrence of infection-related electrocardiographic abnormalities or the affinity and density of cardiac β-adrenergic receptors. The affinity between the tested ligands and the active site of TR was confirmed by molecular docking. However, the molecular affinity score was unable to explain TR inhibition and T. cruzi death in vitro or the antiparasitic potential of these drugs when tested in preclinical models of T. cruzi infection. The divergence of in silico, in vitro, and in vivo findings indicated that the anti-T. cruzi effects of the analyzed drugs were not restricted to TR inhibition. As in vivo studies on TR inhibitors are still scarce and exhibit methodological limitations, mechanistic and highly controlled studies are required to improve the quality of evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andréa Aparecida Santos Mendonça
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas, 37130-001 Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Department of Structural Biology, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas, 37130-001 Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Camila Morais Coelho
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas, 37130-001 Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Marcia Paranho Veloso
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas, 37130-001 Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Ivo Santana Caldas
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas, 37130-001 Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas, 37130-001 Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Antônio Lucio Teixeira
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Medical Investigation, School of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 30130-100 Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Aline Silva de Miranda
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Medical Investigation, School of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 30130-100 Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Morphology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 30130-100 Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Rômulo Dias Novaes
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas, 37130-001 Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Department of Structural Biology, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas, 37130-001 Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Khan MOF. Trypanothione Reductase: A Viable Chemotherapeutic Target for Antitrypanosomal and Antileishmanial Drug Design. Drug Target Insights 2017. [DOI: 10.1177/117739280700200007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- M. Omar F. Khan
- College of Pharmacy, Southwestern Oklahoma State University, 100 Campus Drive, Weatherford, OK 73096, U.S.A
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Bazán PC, Lo Presti MS, Strauss M, Báez AL, Miler N, Paglini PA, Rivarola HW. Quantitative PCR and unconventional serological methods to evaluate clomipramine treatment effectiveness in experimental Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Exp Mol Pathol 2016; 101:274-280. [DOI: 10.1016/j.yexmp.2016.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2016] [Revised: 09/21/2016] [Accepted: 09/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Bermudez J, Davies C, Simonazzi A, Pablo Real J, Palma S. Current drug therapy and pharmaceutical challenges for Chagas disease. Acta Trop 2016; 156:1-16. [PMID: 26747009 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2015.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2015] [Revised: 12/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
One of the most significant health problems in the American continent in terms of human health, and socioeconomic impact is Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Infection was originally transmitted by reduviid insects, congenitally from mother to fetus, and by oral ingestion in sylvatic/rural environments, but blood transfusions, organ transplants, laboratory accidents, and sharing of contaminated syringes also contribute to modern day transmission. Likewise, Chagas disease used to be endemic from Northern Mexico to Argentina, but migrations have earned it global. The parasite has a complex life cycle, infecting different species, and invading a variety of cells - including muscle and nerve cells of the heart and gastrointestinal tract - in the mammalian host. Human infection outcome is a potentially fatal cardiomyopathy, and gastrointestinal tract lesions. In absence of a vaccine, vector control and treatment of patients are the only tools to control the disease. Unfortunately, the only drugs now available for Chagas' disease, Nifurtimox and Benznidazole, are relatively toxic for adult patients, and require prolonged administration. Benznidazole is the first choice for Chagas disease treatment due to its lower side effects than Nifurtimox. However, different strategies are being sought to overcome Benznidazole's toxicity including shorter or intermittent administration schedules-either alone or in combination with other drugs. In addition, a long list of compounds has shown trypanocidal activity, ranging from natural products to specially designed molecules, re-purposing drugs commercialized to treat other maladies, and homeopathy. In the present review, we will briefly summarize the upturns of current treatment of Chagas disease, discuss the increment on research and scientific publications about this topic, and give an overview of the state-of-the-art research aiming to produce an alternative medication to treat T. cruzi infection.
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O’Sullivan MC, Durham TB, Valdes HE, Dauer KL, Karney NJ, Forrestel AC, Bacchi CJ, Baker JF. Dibenzosuberyl substituted polyamines and analogs of clomipramine as effective inhibitors of trypanothione reductase; molecular docking, and assessment of trypanocidal activities. Bioorg Med Chem 2015; 23:996-1010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2015.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2014] [Revised: 01/04/2015] [Accepted: 01/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Planer JD, Hulverson MA, Arif JA, Ranade RM, Don R, Buckner FS. Synergy testing of FDA-approved drugs identifies potent drug combinations against Trypanosoma cruzi. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2014; 8:e2977. [PMID: 25033456 PMCID: PMC4102417 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2013] [Accepted: 05/12/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
An estimated 8 million persons, mainly in Latin America, are infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease. Existing antiparasitic drugs for Chagas disease have significant toxicities and suboptimal effectiveness, hence new therapeutic strategies need to be devised to address this neglected tropical disease. Due to the high research and development costs of bringing new chemical entities to the clinic, we and others have investigated the strategy of repurposing existing drugs for Chagas disease. Screens of FDA-approved drugs (described in this paper) have revealed a variety of chemical classes that have growth inhibitory activity against mammalian stage Trypanosoma cruzi parasites. Aside from azole antifungal drugs that have low or sub-nanomolar activity, most of the active compounds revealed in these screens have effective concentrations causing 50% inhibition (EC50's) in the low micromolar or high nanomolar range. For example, we have identified an antihistamine (clemastine, EC50 of 0.4 µM), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (fluoxetine, EC50 of 4.4 µM), and an antifolate drug (pyrimethamine, EC50 of 3.8 µM) and others. When tested alone in the murine model of Trypanosoma cruzi infection, most compounds had insufficient efficacy to lower parasitemia thus we investigated using combinations of compounds for additive or synergistic activity. Twenty-four active compounds were screened in vitro in all possible combinations. Follow up isobologram studies showed at least 8 drug pairs to have synergistic activity on T. cruzi growth. The combination of the calcium channel blocker, amlodipine, plus the antifungal drug, posaconazole, was found to be more effective at lowering parasitemia in mice than either drug alone, as was the combination of clemastine and posaconazole. Using combinations of FDA-approved drugs is a promising strategy for developing new treatments for Chagas disease. Chronic infection with Trypanosoma cruzi causes progressive damage to the heart and other organs that is fatal in about 30% of cases. Known as Chagas disease, this is a major public health problem in Latin America. The existing medicines were developed over forty years ago and are not widely used because of toxicity and unreliable effectiveness. To discover better treatments, we screened a collection of existing drugs for growth inhibitory activity on Trypanosoma cruzi. Several dozen orally administered drugs were discovered, but when used by themselves they were not strong enough to cure the infection in an animal model. We tested a set of 24 of these drugs in every two-way combination and identified eight synergistic partners. At least two of these combinations were able to substantially lower parasite levels in the mouse model of Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Thus, finding pairs of FDA-approved drugs that can be used in combination may be a pragmatic and effective strategy for designing new therapies for Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph D. Planer
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Matthew A. Hulverson
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Jennifer A. Arif
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Ranae M. Ranade
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Robert Don
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Frederick S. Buckner
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Strauss M, Lo Presti MS, Bazán PC, Baez A, Fauro R, Esteves B, Sanchez Negrete O, Cremonezzi D, Paglini-Oliva PA, Rivarola HW. Clomipramine and benznidazole association for the treatment of acute experimental Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Parasitol Int 2013; 62:293-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2013.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2012] [Revised: 02/18/2013] [Accepted: 02/20/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Abstract
Chagas infection is a major endemic disease affecting Latin American countries. The persistence of Trypanosoma cruzi generates a chronic inflammatory reactivity that induces an immune response directed to the host's tissues. The effectiveness of the treatment in the chronic phase is still unsatisfactory due, amongst other reasons, to the collateral effects of the drugs used. We investigated the effect of clomipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant that, when used as a treatment of T. cruzi-chronically infected mice, inhibits trypanothione reductase, an exclusive and vital enzyme of T. cruzi. Clomipramine improved survival (P<0.05) by diminishing the parasite intensity as demonstrated by PCR studies in the heart and skeletal muscle, and significantly prevented the evolution to fibrosis of the inflammatory infiltrates. Clomipramine could be a good candidate for the treatment of chronic Chagas disease.
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Gobbi P, Baez A, Lo Presti MS, Fernández AR, Enders JE, Fretes R, Gea S, Paglini-Oliva PA, Rivarola HW. Association of clomipramine and allopurinol for the treatment of the experimental infection with Trypanosoma cruzi. Parasitol Res 2010; 107:1279-83. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-010-2002-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2010] [Accepted: 07/16/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Richardson JL, Nett IRE, Jones DC, Abdille MH, Gilbert IH, Fairlamb AH. Improved tricyclic inhibitors of trypanothione reductase by screening and chemical synthesis. ChemMedChem 2009; 4:1333-40. [PMID: 19557801 PMCID: PMC2929371 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.200900097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Trypanothione reductase (TryR) is a key validated enzyme in the trypanothione-based redox metabolism of pathogenic trypanosomes and leishmania parasites. This system is absent in humans, being replaced with glutathione and glutathione reductase, and as such offers a target for selective inhibition. As part of a program to discover antiparasitic drugs, the LOPAC1280 library of 1266 compounds was screened against TryR and the top hits evaluated against glutathione reductase and T. brucei parasites. The top hits included a number of known tricyclic neuroleptic drugs along with other new scaffolds for TryR. Three novel druglike hits were identified and SAR studies on one of these using information from the tricyclic neuroleptic agents led to the discovery of a competitive inhibitor (Ki=330 nm) with an improved potency against T. brucei (EC50=775 nm).
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Affiliation(s)
- John L Richardson
- Division of Biological Chemistry & Drug Discovery, College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, Scotland, UK
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Bazán PC, Lo Presti MS, Rivarola HW, Triquell MF, Fretes R, Fernández AR, Enders J, Paglini-Oliva P. Chemotherapy of chronic indeterminate Chagas disease: a novel approach to treatment. Parasitol Res 2008; 103:663-9. [PMID: 18512075 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-008-1029-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2008] [Accepted: 05/05/2008] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Treatment of Chagas disease is a controversial issue because the available drugs are highly toxic. Clomipramine is a tricyclic antidepressant drug that inhibits Trypanosoma cruzi's trypanothione reductase, provoking the death of the parasite and preventing the cardiac damage when used for the treatment of acutely infected mice. Here, we studied the effectiveness of clomipramine (5 mg/kg/day for one month) as chemotherapy for T. cruzi-infected mice in the chronic indeterminate stage of the infection. The animals were analyzed in the cardiac chronic phase. Survival of treated animals was 84% while for the untreated ones was 40%; most of the animals presented electrocardiographic abnormalities. Affinity and density of cardiac beta receptors from infected and treated mice were similar to those in the indeterminate phase, showing that clomipramine treatment stopped the increment of functional alterations provoked by the infection, while untreated mice presented affinity and density significantly diminished. Hearts from infected and untreated mice in the chronic stage presented mononuclear cells, necrosis and fiber dissolution while hearts from treated animals showed only isolated inflammatory infiltrates. Present results demonstrate that clomipramine used in the chronic indeterminate phase of the T. cruzi infection modified the natural evolution of the chagasic cardiopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Carolina Bazán
- Cátedra de Física Biomédica, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Santa Rosa 1085, PC 5000, Córdoba, Argentina
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15
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Gobbi P, Lo Presti MS, Fernández AR, Enders JE, Fretes R, Gea S, Paglini-Oliva PA, Rivarola HW. Allopurinol is effective to modify the evolution of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in mice. Parasitol Res 2007; 101:1459-62. [PMID: 17619906 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-007-0644-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2007] [Accepted: 06/15/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
There is a real need for new and less toxic drugs for the treatment of Chagas disease, as nifurtimox and benznidazole are effective but toxic and provoke unpleasant side effects, especially in adult patients. Allopurinol, commonly used to treat the hiperuricemia, is also used by the Trypanosoma cruzi's hypoxantine guanine fosforyltransferase as an alternative substrate incorporating it into the parasite's ribonucleic acid, provoking the death of the parasite. However, the results of using allopurinol as chemotherapy for Chagas disease are not clear. For that, we investigated the evolution of the T. cruzi infection in mice treated with allopurinol (5, 10 or 15 mg/kg for 90 days) obtaining a reduction in the parasitaemia (p<0.05), no electrocardiographic alterations (p<0.05) and a conserved myocardial and cardiac beta-receptors' affinity values with the highest dose of the drug, compared to those of the uninfected mice. Cruzipain immunoglobulin G levels remained high in all the groups as well as the survival (70%, 90 days post-infection). Allopurinol prevented the acute phase evolving into the chronic cardiac disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Gobbi
- Cátedra de Física Biomédica, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Santa Rosa 1085, 5000, Córdoba, Argentina
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Rivarola HW, Bustamante JM, Lo Presti S, Fernández AR, Enders JE, Gea S, Fretes R, Paglini-Oliva P. Trypanosoma cruzi: Chemotherapeutic effects of clomipramine in mice infected with an isolate obtained from an endemic area. Exp Parasitol 2005; 111:80-6. [PMID: 16085036 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2005.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2004] [Revised: 05/12/2005] [Accepted: 05/13/2005] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The susceptibility of Trypanosoma cruzi strains to nifurtimox and benznidazole has been investigated and resistant strains have been described. Some tricyclic drugs are lethal for trypomastigote and epimastigote forms of T. cruzi (Tulahuen strain) and prevent the disease in mice. We investigated whether clomipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant drug with anti-trypanothione reductase and anti-calmodulin effects, could be effective in treating Albino Swiss mice infected with trypomastigotes of a new T. cruzi isolate from a chronic patient from an endemic area of Argentina in two different treatment schedules. Both treatment schedules were effective in reducing electrocardiographic changes and preventing myocardial structural damage. The cardiac beta-receptors low affinity was compensated for by an increment in their density. This probably maintained cardiac function since 70% of the mice survived for more than 2 years even though anti-cruzipain titers remained high. These results demonstrate that clomipramine, clinically used as a neuroleptic, could be a promising trypanocidal agent for the treatment of Chagas' disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- H W Rivarola
- Cátedra de Física Biomédica, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Santa Rosa 1085, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina.
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