In vivo efficacy of oral and intralesional administration of 2-substituted quinolines in experimental treatment of new world cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania amazonensis

Electrochemical γ-Selective Deuteration of Pyridines

Herein, we first report a γ-selective deuteration reaction of pyridines via H/D exchange without the need for preinstalled directing groups and transformable functional groups. The electrochemical process offers an attractive approach to producing γ-deuterated pyridines under gentle conditions. The broad substrate scope, excellent deuterium incorporation, and remarkable selectivity of the electrochemical method make it applicable for the late-stage modification of pharmaceutical molecules.

Access to 2-thio/selenoquinolines via domino reaction of isocyanides with sulfur and selenium in water

A domino reaction of o-alkenylaryl isocyanides with elemental sulfur and selenium in pure water was developed for the efficient and green synthesis of quinoline-2-thione and diquinolyl diselenide derivatives. Mechanistical investigation reveals that intramolecular nucleophilic addition of an alkenyl group to the in situ generated isothio/isoselenocyanate accounts for the formation of a quinoline-ring. Moreover, this transformation is also amendable for the convenient preparation of 2-fluoromethylthio-/seleno-quinolines by a one-pot three-component reaction.

The Potential of 2-Substituted Quinolines as Antileishmanial Drug Candidates

There is a need for new, cost-effective drugs to treat leishmaniasis. A strategy based on traditional medicine practiced in Bolivia led to the discovery of the 2-substituted quinoline series as a source of molecules with antileishmanial activity and low toxicity. This review documents the development of the series from the first isolated natural compounds through several hundred synthetized molecules to an optimized compound exhibiting an in vitro IC₅₀ value of 0.2 µM against Leishmania donovani, and a selectivity index value of 187, together with in vivo activity on the L. donovani/hamster model. Attempts to establish structure–activity relationships are described, as well as studies that have attempted to determine the mechanism of action. For the latter, it appears that molecules of this series act on multiple targets, possibly including the immune system, which could explain the observed lack of drug resistance after in vitro drug pressure. We also show how nanotechnology strategies could valorize these drugs through adapted formulations and how a mechanistic targeting approach could generate new compounds with increased activity.

Biology of quinoline and quinazoline alkaloids

Quinoline and quinazoline alkaloids, two important classes of N-based heterocyclic compounds, have attracted scientific and popular interest worldwide since the 19th century. More than 600 compounds have been isolated from nature to date. To build on our two prior reviews, we reexamined the promising molecules described in previous reports and provided updated literature on novel quinoline and quinazoline alkaloids isolated over the past 5 years. This chapter reviews and discusses 205 molecules with a broad range of bioactivities, including antiparasitic and insecticidal, antibacterial and antifungal, cardioprotective, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and other effects. This survey should provide new clues or possibilities for the discovery of new and better drugs from the original naturally occurring quinoline and quinazoline alkaloids.

Preclinical Studies in Anti-Trypanosomatidae Drug Development

The trypanosomatid parasites Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania are the causative agents of human African trypanosomiasis, Chagas Disease and Leishmaniasis, respectively. These infections primarily affect poor, rural communities in the developing world, and are responsible for trapping sufferers and their families in a disease/poverty cycle. The development of new chemotherapies is a priority given that existing drug treatments are problematic. In our search for novel anti-trypanosomatid agents, we assess the growth-inhibitory properties of >450 compounds from in-house and/or "Pathogen Box" (PBox) libraries against L. infantum, L. amazonensis, L.braziliensis, T. cruzi and T. brucei and evaluate the toxicities of the most promising agents towards murine macrophages. Screens using the in-house series identified 17 structures with activity against and selective toward Leishmania: Compounds displayed 50% inhibitory concentrations between 0.09 and 25 μM and had selectivity index values >10. For the PBox library, ~20% of chemicals exhibited anti-parasitic properties including five structures whose activity against L. infantum had not been reported before. These five compounds displayed no toxicity towards murine macrophages over the range tested with three being active in an in vivo murine model of the cutaneous disease, with 100% survival of infected animals. Additionally, the oral combination of three of them in the in vivo Chagas disease murine model demonstrated full control of the parasitemia. Interestingly, phenotyping revealed that the reference strain responds differently to the five PBox-derived chemicals relative to parasites isolated from a dog. Together, our data identified one drug candidate that displays activity against Leishmania and other Trypanosomatidae in vitro and in vivo, while exhibiting low toxicity to cultured mammalian cells and low in vivo acute toxicity.

Alkaloids in Contemporary Drug Discovery to Meet Global Disease Needs

An overview is presented of the well-established role of alkaloids in drug discovery, the application of more sustainable chemicals, and biological approaches, and the implementation of information systems to address the current challenges faced in meeting global disease needs. The necessity for a new international paradigm for natural product discovery and development for the treatment of multidrug resistant organisms, and rare and neglected tropical diseases in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Quintuple Helix is discussed.

The Potential of Traditional Knowledge to Develop Effective Medicines for the Treatment of Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease that affects people living in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. There are few therapeutic options for treating this infectious disease, and available drugs induce severe side effects in patients. Different communities have limited access to hospital facilities, as well as classical treatment of leishmaniasis; therefore, they use local natural products as alternative medicines to treat this infectious disease. The present work performed a bibliographic survey worldwide to record plants used by traditional communities to treat leishmaniasis, as well as the uses and peculiarities associated with each plant, which can guide future studies regarding the characterization of new drugs to treat leishmaniasis. A bibliographic survey performed in the PubMed and Scopus databases retrieved 294 articles related to traditional knowledge, medicinal plants and leishmaniasis; however, only 20 were selected based on the traditional use of plants to treat leishmaniasis. Considering such studies, 378 quotes referring to 292 plants (216 species and 76 genera) that have been used to treat leishmaniasis were recorded, which could be grouped into 89 different families. A broad discussion has been presented regarding the most frequent families, including Fabaceae (27 quotes), Araceae (23), Solanaceae and Asteraceae (22 each). Among the available data in the 378 quotes, it was observed that the parts of the plants most frequently used in local medicine were leaves (42.3% of recipes), applied topically (74.6%) and fresh poultices (17.2%). The contribution of Latin America to studies enrolling ethnopharmacological indications to treat leishmaniasis was evident. Of the 292 plants registered, 79 were tested against Leishmania sp. Future studies on leishmanicidal activity could be guided by the 292 plants presented in this study, mainly the five species Carica papaya L. (Caricaceae), Cedrela odorata L. (Meliaceae), Copaifera paupera (Herzog) Dwyer (Fabaceae), Musa × paradisiaca L. (Musaceae), and Nicotiana tabacum L. (Solanaceae), since they are the most frequently cited in articles and by traditional communities.

A comprehensive review on the biological interest of quinoline and its derivatives

Amongst heterocyclic compounds, quinoline is an advantaged scaffold that appears as a significant assembly motif for the development of new drug entities. Quinoline and its derivatives tested with diverse biological activity constitute an important class of compounds for new drug development. Therefore, many scientific communities have developed these compounds as intent structure and evaluated their biological activities. The present, review provides brief natural sources of quinoline and including a new extent of quinoline-based marketed drugs. This review also confers information about the biological activities of quinoline derivatives such as antibacterial, antifungal, antimycobacterial, antiviral, anti-protozoal, antimalarial, anticancer, cardiovascular, CNS effects, antioxidant, anticonvulsant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anthelmintic and miscellaneous activities.

Recent researches in effective antileishmanial herbal compounds: narrative review

Leishmaniasis are neglected diseases and a public health problem; they are caused by protozoan species belonging to the genus Leishmania and mostly influences the poor populations in many developing countries. The lack of effective medications, and an approved vaccine, high toxicity and life-threatening side effects and many cases of drug resistance reported in different countries have resulted in the necessity to discover new, efficient, inexpensive, and safe antileishmanial compounds with less or no toxicity. This increase in consumer demand of natural herbal-derived plant extracts as alternative medicines continues despite the low scientific information to establish their efficacy and safety profiles. Various studies have been conducted so far concerning the application of herbal medicines for the treatment of leishmaniasis, but research on relatively effective and low toxic substances is still needed. In this review, we have summarized recent developments and reported studies concerning about herbal and naturally derived therapeutics in the treatment of leishmaniasis, conducted by several researchers worldwide. Some of these medical herbs with promising results have undergone prospective clinical researches, but many others have either not yet been explored. Recent articles described these medical herbs and their active and important molecules, including quinones, phenolic derivatives, lignans, tannins, terpenes, and oxylipins. We searched ISI Web of Science, PubMed, SID, Scholar, Scopus, and Science Direct, and articles published up to 2019 were included. The keywords of leishmaniasis and some words associated with herbal medicines and natural products were used in our search. This review can serve as a quick reference database for researchers.

Synthesis and Biological Activity of Some Aminothiazole Derivatives as Antileishmanial Agents

Background:

Leishmaniasis is a major health problem which is caused by the protozoan parasite of the genus Leishmania. Cutaneous leishmaniasis is one type of leishmaniasis and selflimited in most of the cases. However, when the lesions come with scars, they make a deep lifelong stigma. Despite being WHO's research priority, the optimum treatment for this disease has not been found yet. The current study aimed to synthesize and assess the activity of some new aminothiazole compounds against Leishmania major-induced cutaneous leishmaniasis in BALB/c mice.

Methods:

Eight new aminothiazole derivatives were synthesized and their chemical structures were characterized by spectral data 1H-NMR spectroscopy, Mass spectrophotometry and elemental analysis. L. major parasites were inoculated into the tail base of BALB/c mice and the induced lesions were treated every other day with three different doses of the synthesized compounds against meglumine antimoniate as the drug reference for two weeks. Size of the lesions was observed for three weeks and the collected data were analyzed by SPSS software. Also, these compounds are docked into the active site of 14- α-demethylase as the targets in the treatment of leishmaniasis.

Results:

Among the synthesized aminothiazole derivatives, compounds 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 had good leishmanicidal effects. Docking binding energies showed that the synthesized compounds could act as inhibitors for 14- α-demethylase.

Conclusions:

Among the synthesized compounds, compound 3, (N-((4-chlorophenyl)(phenyl) methyl)thiazol-2-amine) was the most promising one which deserves future studies for the treatment of leishmaniasis.

Recent synthetic efforts in the preparation of 2-(3,4)-alkenyl (aryl) quinoline molecules towards anti-kinetoplastid agents

Leishmaniasis, Chagas disease and African sleeping sickness have been considered some of the most important tropical protozoan afflictions. As the number of drugs currently available to treat these human illnesses is severely limited and the majority has poor safety profiles and complicated administration schedules, actually there is an urgent need to develop new effective, safe and cost-effective drugs. Because quinoline alkaloids with antiprotozoal activity (quinine, chimanine, cryptolepine or huperzine groups) were historically and are still essential models for drug research to combat these parasitic infections, synthetic or semi-synthetic quinoline-based molecules are important for anti-kinetoplastid drug design approaches and synthetic methods of their preparation become a key task that is the central subject of this review. Its goal is to highlight the advances in the conventional and current syntheses of new 2-(3,4)-alkenyl (aryl) quinoline derivatives, which kill the most important kinetoplastid protozoa, - Leishmania and Trypanosoma and could be useful models for antileishmanial and antitrypanosomal research. An attempt has been made to present and discuss the more recent contributions in this field over the period 2015-2019, paying special attention to molecular design, synthetic efforts to new green reaction conditions for classical methods such as Skraup synthesis, Friedländer synthesis, Conrad-Limpach, Doebner-Miller, as well as contemporary methods like Gould-Jacobs, Meth-Cohn and Povarov reactions. This review includes brief general information on these neglected tropical diseases, their current chemotherapies, and primary natural models (quinoline alkaloids), suitable for development of anti-kinetoplastid quinoline-based agents. The main part of the review comprises critical discussion on the synthesis and chemistry of new quinolines diversely substituted by alkyl (alkenyl, aryl) fragments on the pyridine part of the quinoline skeleton, which could be considered interesting analogues of chimanine alkaloids. The methods described in this review were developed with the aim of overcoming the drawbacks of the traditional protocols using revolutionary precursors and strategies.

A Nature-Inspired Design Yields a New Class of Steroids Against Trypanosomatids

Chagas disease and Leishmaniasis are neglected endemic protozoan diseases recognized as public health problems by the World Health Organization. These diseases affect millions of people around the world however, efficient and low-cost treatments are not available. Different steroid molecules with antimicrobial and antiparasitic activity were isolated from diverse organisms (ticks, plants, fungi). These molecules have complex structures that make de novo synthesis extremely difficult. In this work, we designed new and simpler compounds with antiparasitic potential inspired in natural steroids and synthesized a series of nineteen steroidal arylideneketones and thiazolidenehydrazines. We explored their biological activity against Leishmania infantum, Leishmania amazonensis, and Trypanosoma cruzi in vitro and in vivo. We also assayed their genotoxicity and acute toxicity in vitro and in mice. The best compound, a steroidal thiosemicarbazone compound 8 (ID_1260) was active in vitro (IC₅₀ 200 nM) and in vivo (60% infection reduction at 50 mg/kg) in Leishmania and T. cruzi. It also has low toxicity in vitro and in vivo (LD₅₀ >2000 mg/kg) and no genotoxic effects, being a promising compound for anti-trypanosomatid drug development.

Microwave-assisted, rapid synthesis of 2-vinylquinolines and evaluation of their antimalarial activity

A rapid and efficient synthesis of 2-vinylquinolines via trifluoromethanesulfonamidemediated olefination of 2-methylquinoline and aldehyde under microwave irradiation is reported. Biological evaluation of these scaffolds demonstrates that 2-vinylquinolines 3x - 3z possess excellent antimalarial activities against chloroquine-resistant Dd2 strain of Plasmodium falciparum (IC50 < 100 nM).

GDP-Mannose Pyrophosphorylase: A Biologically Validated Target for Drug Development Against Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniases are neglected tropical diseases that threaten about 350 million people in 98 countries around the world. In order to find new antileishmanial drugs, an original approach consists in reducing the pathogenic effect of the parasite by impairing the glycoconjugate biosynthesis, necessary for parasite recognition and internalization by the macrophage. Some proteins appear to be critical in this way, and one of them, the GDP-Mannose Pyrophosphorylase (GDP-MP), is an attractive target for the design of specific inhibitors as it is essential for Leishmania survival and it presents significant differences with the host counterpart. Two GDP-MP inhibitors, compounds A and B, have been identified in two distinct studies by high throughput screening and by a rational approach based on molecular modeling, respectively. Compound B was found to be the most promising as it exhibited specific competitive inhibition of leishmanial GDP-MP and antileishmanial activities at the micromolar range with interesting selectivity indexes, as opposed to compound A. Therefore, compound B can be used as a pharmacological tool for the development of new specific antileishmanial drugs.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Antileishmanial Activity of Certain Quinoline-4-carboxylic Acids

Leishmaniasis is a fatal neglected parasitic disease caused by protozoa of the genusLeishmaniaand transmitted to humans by different species ofphlebotominesandflies. The disease incidence continues to increase due to lack of vaccines and prophylactic drugs. Drugs commonly used for the treatment are frequently toxic and highly expensive. The problem of these drugs is further complicated by the development of resistance. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop new antileishmanial drug candidates. The aim of this study was to synthesize certain quinoline-4-carboxylic acids, confirm their chemical structures, and evaluate their antileishmanial activity. Pfitzinger reaction was employed to synthesize fifteen quinoline-4-carboxylic acids (Q1-Q15) by reacting equimolar mixtures of isatin derivatives and appropriateα-methyl ketone. The products were purified, and their respective chemical structures were deduced using various spectral tools (IR, MS,1H NMR, and13C NMR). Then, they were investigated againstL. donovanipromastigote (clinical isolate) in different concentration levels (200 μg/mL to 1.56 μg/mL) against sodium stibogluconate and amphotericin B as positive controls. The IC50for each compound was determined and manipulated statistically. Among these compounds,Q1(2-methylquinoline-4-carboxylic acid) was found to be the most active in terms of IC50.

Emerging therapeutic targets for treatment of leishmaniasis

INTRODUCTION

Parasitic diseases that pose a threat to human life include leishmaniasis - caused by protozoan parasite Leishmania species. Existing drugs have limitations due to deleterious side effects like teratogenicity, high cost and drug resistance. This calls for the need to have an insight into therapeutic aspects of disease. Areas covered: We have identified different drug targets via. molecular, imuunological, metabolic as well as by system biology approaches. We bring these promising drug targets into light so that they can be explored to their maximum. In an effort to bridge the gaps between existing knowledge and prospects of drug discovery, we have compiled interesting studies on drug targets, thereby paving the way for establishment of better therapeutic aspects. Expert opinion: Advancements in technology shed light on many unexplored pathways. Further probing of well established pathways led to the discovery of new drug targets. This review is a comprehensive report on current and emerging drug targets, with emphasis on several metabolic targets, organellar biochemistry, salvage pathways, epigenetics, kinome and more. Identification of new targets can contribute significantly towards strengthening the pipeline for disease elimination.

Biologically active quinoline and quinazoline alkaloids part I

Quinoline and quinazoline alkaloids, two important classes of N-based heterocyclic compounds, have attracted tremendous attention from researchers worldwide since the 19th century. Over the past 200 years, many compounds from these two classes were isolated from natural sources, and most of them and their modified analogs possess significant bioactivities. Quinine and camptothecin are two of the most famous and important quinoline alkaloids, and their discoveries opened new areas in antimalarial and anticancer drug development, respectively. In this review, we survey the literature on bioactive alkaloids from these two classes and highlight research achievements prior to the year 2008 (Part I). Over 200 molecules with a broad range of bioactivities, including antitumor, antimalarial, antibacterial and antifungal, antiparasitic and insecticidal, antiviral, antiplatelet, anti-inflammatory, herbicidal, antioxidant and other activities, were reviewed. This survey should provide new clues or possibilities for the discovery of new and better drugs from the original naturally occurring quinoline and quinazoline alkaloids.

In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of Essential Oil from Artemisia absinthium L. Formulated in Nanocochleates against Cutaneous Leishmaniasis

Background: Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic disease caused by protozoan parasites from Leishmania genus. Currently, there are no effective vaccines available and the available therapies are far from ideal. In particular, the development of new therapeutic strategies to reduce the infection caused by Leishmania amazonensis could be considered desirable. Different plant-derived products have demonstrated antileishmanial activity, including the essential oil (EO) from Artemisia absinthium L. (EO-Aa), Asteraceae. Methods: In the present study, the EO-Aa formulated in nanocochleates (EO-Aa-NC) was investigated in vitro against intracellular amastigotes of L. amazonensis and non-infected macrophages from BALB/c mice. In addition, the EO-Aa-NC was also evaluated in vivo against on experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis, which body weight, lesion progression, and parasite load were determined. Results: EO-Aa-NC displayed IC₅₀ values of 21.5 ± 2.5 μg/mL and 27.7 ± 5.6 μg/mL against intracellular amastigotes of L. amazonensis and non-infected peritoneal macrophage, respectively. In the animal model, the EO-Aa-NC (30 mg/kg/intralesional route/every 4 days 4 times) showed no deaths or weight loss greater than 10%. In parallel, the EO-Aa-NC suppressed the infection in the murine model by approximately 50%, which was statistically superior (p < 0.05) than controls and mice treated with EO-Aa. In comparison with Glucantime^®, EO-Aa-NC inhibited the progression of infection as efficiently (p > 0.05) as administration of the reference drug. Conclusions: Encochleation of EO-Aa resulted in a stable, tolerable, and efficacious antileishmanial formulation, facilitating systemic delivery of EO, with increased activity compared to administration of the free EO-Aa. This new formulation shows promising potential to future studies aimed at a new therapeutic strategy to treat leishmaniasis.

The Role of Natural Products in Drug Discovery and Development against Neglected Tropical Diseases

Endemic in 149 tropical and subtropical countries, neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect more than 1 billion people annually, including 875 million children in developing economies. These diseases are also responsible for over 500,000 deaths per year and are characterized by long-term disability and severe pain. The impact of the combined NTDs closely rivals that of malaria and tuberculosis. Current treatment options are associated with various limitations including widespread drug resistance, severe adverse effects, lengthy treatment duration, unfavorable toxicity profiles, and complicated drug administration procedures. Natural products have been a valuable source of drug regimens that form the cornerstone of modern pharmaceutical care. In this review, we highlight the potential that remains untapped in natural products as drug leads for NTDs. We cover natural products from plant, marine, and microbial sources including natural-product-inspired semi-synthetic derivatives which have been evaluated against the various causative agents of NTDs. Our coverage is limited to four major NTDs which include human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis and lymphatic filariasis.

Recent advances in research of natural and synthetic bioactive quinolines

Many natural products that consist of quinoline core are found to be bioactive and the versatility of quinoline and its derivatives have attracted great attention in the field of drug development. As a result, in recent years, many green and sustainable synthetic approaches for the synthesis of structurally diverse quinolines have been developed. This review covers four main aspects, namely bioactive quinoline alkaloids, the biological activity and mechanism of action of quinoline-based compounds as well as various quinoline syntheses.

In vivo antileishmanial activity and chemical profile of polar extract from Selaginella sellowii

The polar hydroethanolic extract from Selaginella sellowii(SSPHE) has been previously proven active on intracellular amastigotes (in vitro test) and now was tested on hamsters infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis (in vivo test). SSPHE suppressed a 100% of the parasite load in the infection site and draining lymph nodes at an intralesional dose of 50 mg/kg/day × 5, which was similar to the results observed in hamsters treated with N-methylglucamine antimonate (Sb) (28 mg/Kg/day × 5). When orally administered, SSPHE (50 mg/kg/day × 20) suppressed 99.2% of the parasite load in infected footpads, while Sb suppressed 98.5%. SSPHE also enhanced the release of nitric oxide through the intralesional route in comparison to Sb. The chemical fingerprint of SSPHE by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection and tandem mass spectrometry showed the presence of biflavonoids and high molecular weight phenylpropanoid glycosides. These compounds may have a synergistic action in vivo. Histopathological study revealed that the intralesional treatment with SSPHE induced an intense inflammatory infiltrate, composed mainly of mononuclear cells. The present findings reinforce the potential of this natural product as a source of future drug candidates for American cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Development of a Murine Infection Model with Leishmania killicki, Responsible for Cutaneous Leishmaniosis in Algeria: Application in Pharmacology

In Algeria, Leishmania infantum, Leishmania major, and Leishmania killicki (Leishmania tropica) are responsible for cutaneous leishmaniosis. We established a murine model of L. killicki infection to investigate its infective capacity, some immunophysiopathological aspects, and its suitability for pharmacological purposes. Following the injection of L. major or L. killicki metacyclic promastigotes in the ear dermis of BALB/c mice, the course of infection was followed. The infection with L. killicki caused slower lesion formation than with L. major. The presence of L. killicki or L. major DNA and parasites was detected in the ear dermis and in lymph nodes, spleen, and liver. Lesions induced by L. killicki were nonulcerative in their aspect, whereas those caused by L. major were highly ulcerative and necrotic, which matches well with the lesion phenotype reported in humans for L. killicki and L. major, respectively. The treatment of L. killicki lesions by injection of Glucantime® significantly reduced the lesion thickness and parasite burden. Ear dermal injection of BALB/c mice constitutes a model to study lesions physiopathology caused by L. killicki and presents interest for in vivo screening of new compounds against this pathogen, emerging in Algeria.

Herbal extract targets in Leishmania tropica

The present study aims to investigate the effect of some herbal extract such as phenolic compounds on the viability of Leishmania tropica promastigotes in vitro. Four tested chemical agents (caffeic acid (CA), ferulic acid (FA), syringic acid (SA) and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4-HBA)) were used in this study. The viability of Leishmania tropica promastigotes was investigated under five different concentrations (10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 mg/ml) of each agent after (72 h). CA was the most active agent on the promastigotes viability after 72 h exposure to 30 mg/ml concentration so that the parasiticidal effect reach (53 × 10(4)) promastigote/ml. FA is the second agent in parasiticidal effect that parasiticidal effect reach to (50 × 10(4) promastigote/ml) at a concentration (30 mg/ml), 4-HBA is the third agent in parasiticidal effect that reach to (48 × 10(4) promastigote/ml) at a concentration (30 mg/ml), SA is the weakest agent in parasiticidal activity that reach to (44 × 10(4) promastigote/ml) at a concentration (30 mg/ml). It can be concluded that (CA, FA, SA and 4-HBA) possess acidal effect on the Leishmania tropica promastigotes in vitro.

Combinations of ascaridole, carvacrol, and caryophyllene oxide against Leishmania

To date there are no vaccines against Leishmania and chemotherapy remains the mainstay for the control of leishmaniasis. The drugs currently used for leishmaniasis therapy are significantly toxic, expensive, and result in a growing frequency of refractory infections. In this study, we evaluated the effect of combinations of the main components of essential oil from Chenopodium ambrosioides (ascaridole, carvacrol, and caryophyllene oxide) against Leishmaniaamazonensis. Anti-leishmanial effects of combinations of pure compounds were evaluated in vitro and the fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) indices were calculated. BALB/c mice infected with L. amazonensis were treated with different concentrations of ascaridole-carvacrol combinations by intralesional doses every 4 days. Disease progression and parasite burden in infected tissues were determined. In vitro experiments showed a synergistic effect of the combination of ascaridole-carvacrol against promastigotes of Leishmania with a FIC index of 0.171, while indifferent activities were observed for ascaridole-caryophyllene oxide (FIC index=3.613) and carvacrol-caryophyllene oxide (FIC index=2.356) combinations. The fixed ratio method showed that a 1:4 ascaridole-carvacrol ratio produced a better anti-protozoal activity on promastigotes, lower cytotoxicity, and synergistic activity on intracellular amastigotes (FIC index=0.416). Significant differences (p<0.05) in lesion size and parasite burden were demonstrated in BALB/c mice experimentally infected and treated with the ascaridole-carvacrol combinations compared with control animals. Carvacrol showed significant higher anti-radical activity in the DPPH assay compared with caryophyllene oxide. Electron spin resonance spectroscopy in combination with spin trapping suggested the presence of carbon-centered radicals after activation of ascaridole by Fe(2+). The intensity of the signals is preferably decreased upon addition of carvacrol. The ascaridole-carvacrol combination could represent a future alternative to monotherapeutic anti-leishmanial agents.

Design and synthesis of novel antileishmanial compounds

According to the WHO, infectious diseases, and in particular neglected tropical diseases in poor developing countries, still play a significant role in a vast number of deaths reported worldwide. Among them, leishmaniasis occurs as a complex and clinically diverse illness caused by protozoan Leishmania species which are transmitted through the bite of sandflies. They develop through a complex life cycle, from promastigotes in sandflies to amastigotes in humans. The severity of disease is determined by the type of infecting Leishmania species and also depends strongly on whether the parasite infection leads to a systemic involvement or not. Since the sensitivity towards diverse medicaments highly differs among the Leishmania species, it is advantageous to treat leishmaniasis with species-specific drugs. Towards this goal we report a synthetic methodology and characterization of novel small molecular agents active against both forms of L. major. This synthetic approach allows for rapid access to new active antileishmanial drug templates and their first derivatives in moderate to very good yields. Although the compounds reported here are bioactive, the detailed biological results are part of a more comprehensive study and will be reported separately by our collaborators.

In vitro and in vivo activity of major constituents from Pluchea carolinensis against Leishmania amazonensis

The search for new therapeutic agents from natural sources has been a constant for the treatment of diseases such as leishmaniasis. Herein, in vitro and in vivo pharmacological activities of pure major phenolic constituents (caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, quercetin, and rosmarinic acid) from Pluchea carolinensis against Leishmania amazonensis are presented. Pure compounds showed inhibitory activity against promastigotes (IC50 = 0.2-0.9 μg/mL) and intracellular amastigotes (IC50 = 1.3-2.9 μg/mL). Four of them were selected after testing against macrophages of BALB/c mice: caffeic acid, ferulic acid, quercetin, and rosmarinic acid, with selective indices of 11, 17, 10, and 20, respectively. Ferulic acid, rosmarinic acid, and caffeic acid controlled lesion size development and parasite burden in footpads from BALB/c experimentally infected mice, after five injections of compounds by intralesional route at 30 mg/kg every 4 days. Pure compounds from P. carolinensis demonstrated antileishmanial properties.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel 4-alkapolyenylpyrrolo[1,2-a]quinoxalines as antileishmanial agents--part III

A series of new 4-alkapolyenylpyrrolo[1,2-a]quinoxaline derivatives, original and structural analogues of alkaloid chimanine B and of previously described 4-alkenylpyrrolo[1,2-a]quinoxalines, was synthesized in good yields using efficient palladium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions. These new compounds were tested for in vitro antiparasitic activity upon three Leishmania spp. strains. Biological results showed activity against the promastigote forms of L. major, L. mexicana and L. donovani with IC50 ranging from 1.2 to 14.7 μM. In attempting to investigate if our pyrrolo[1,2-a]quinoxaline derivatives are broad-spectrum antiprotozoal compounds activities toward one Trypanosoma brucei brucei strain and the W2 and 3D7 Plasmodium falciparum strains were also investigated. In parallel, the in vitro cytotoxicity of these molecules was assessed on the murine J774 and human HepG2 cell lines. Structure-activity relationships of these new synthetic compounds are here discussed.

A convenient and efficient C–OH bond activation, PdCl2(PPh3)2catalyzed, C–C bond formation of tautomerizable quinolinones with the aid of BOP reagent and boronic acids

C–C bond formation of tautomerizable quinolinones. C–OH bond activation using BOP reagent and boronic acids.

Antileishmanial activity of the essential oil from Bixa orellana

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by Leishmania protozoa. There is currently no vaccine against leishmaniasis, and chemotherapy remains the only effective control. However, conventional drugs are toxic, expensive, and require long periods of treatment, and resistance to clinical chemotherapeutic agents is emerging. Recent research on plants has shown a successful approach to obtain new antileishmanial alternatives. Herein, the in vitro and in vivo effects of the essential oil from Bixa orellana seeds against Leishmania amazonensis were evaluated. A total of 73 compounds were detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, of which ishwarane (18.6%) and geranylgeraniol (9.1%) were the major components. The oil showed activity against intracellular amastigote form (IC50  = 8.5 µg/mL), while the cytotoxic concentration was sevenfold higher for the host cells. The ability of Bixa oil to control disease progression of established cutaneous leishmaniasis in BALB/c mice was demonstrated, after a treatment with 30 mg/kg by intraperitoneal administration over 14 days. The present study reports for the first time the antileishmanial potentialities of the essential oil from B. orellana.

Anti-leishmanial evaluation of C2-aryl quinolines: mechanistic insight on bioenergetics and sterol biosynthetic pathway of Leishmania braziliensis

A series of diverse simple C2-aryl quinolines was synthesized de novo via a straightforward synthesis based on the acid-catalyzed multicomponent imino Diels-Alder reactions. Seven selected quinolines were evaluated at different stages of Leishmania braziliensis parasite. Among them, the 6-ethyl-2-phenylquinoline 5f was able to inhibit the growth of promastigotes of this parasite without affecting the mammalian cells viability and decreasing the number of intracellular L. braziliensis amastigotes on BMDM macrophages. The mechanism of action studied for the selected compound consisted in: (1) alteration of parasite bioenergetics, by disrupting mitochondrial electrochemical potential and alkalinization of acidocalcisomes, and (2) inhibition of ergosterol biosynthetic pathway in promastigote forms. These results validate the efficiency of quinoline molecules as leishmanicide compounds.

Alkaloids from Galipea longiflora Krause modify the maturation of human dendritic cells and their ability to stimulate allogeneic CD4+ T cells

Alkaloids obtained from the plant Evanta have been shown to have dual effects in Leishmania infection; a direct leishmanicidal effect on the parasite and more importantly, the alkaloids affect both polyclonal and Leishmania-specific stimulation of T-cells. Dendritic cells (DCs) play a pivotal role in stimulation and polarization of naïve T cells towards a Th1, Th2, Th17 or regulatory phenotype. In leishmaniasis, the interactions between the parasites and DCs are complex and involve contradictory functions that can stimulate or suppress T cell responses, leading to the control of infection or progression of disease. In this study the effect of an alkaloid extract of Evanta (AEE) or the purified alkaloid 2-phenilquinoline (2Ph) on the activation of human DCs and their ability to stimulate allogeneic CD4(+) T cells was analyzed. The expression of surface activation molecules was not affected on DCs stimulated in the presence of AEE or 2Ph nor did AEE-DCs or 2Ph-CDs affect the expression of activation surface molecules on allogeneic CD4(+) T cells. In contrast, as compared with control, the secretion of IL-12p40, IL-23 and IL-6 was lower from AEE-DCs and 2Ph-CDs and allogeneic CD4(+) T cells co-cultured with these DCs secreted lower levels of IFN-γ and IL-10 but the same levels of IL-17. These results demonstrate that AEE and 2Ph affect the stimulation of DCs and their ability to stimulate allogeneic CD4(+) T cells by reducing the production of IFN-γ, IL-12 p40, IL-6 and IL-23. This suggests that AEE and 2Ph may take part in regulation of inflammation.

Antileishmanial activity of a formulation of 2-n-propylquinoline by oral route in mice model

2-n-propylquinoline is presently a drug-candidate for the treatment of visceral leishmaniosis in pre-clinical development. As this compound is in an oily state, it needs to be formulated and the objectives of this study are: to prepare a formulation; to demonstrate that the new salted formulation did not alter the activity of the active ingredient; and finally, that this activity was quite good compared to the reference oral drug, miltefosine. Therefore, a 2-n-propylquinoline formulation, as camphorsulfonic salt, was prepared and characterised. On the Leishmania donovani / Balb/c mice model, a treatment by oral route at 60 μmoles/kg/day for ten consecutive days with this formulation was compared to 2-n-propylquinoline alone and to miltefosine, the oral reference drug. The salt formulation did not alter the activity of the 2-n-propylquinoline. The formulation reduced the parasite burden of 76% compared to 89% for miltefosine (not significant). The characteristics of this formulation results in a suitable drugability of 2-n-propylquinoline for further studies.

Novel immunomodulatory function of 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives with leishmanicidal activity

OBJECTIVES

Previously, some nitroheteroaryl-1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives were identified to have potent activity against Leishmania sp. The present aim was to complete the in vitro analysis, thereby investigating the in vivo efficiency of the analogues 15a, 21a and 21b against infected BALB/c mice.

METHODS

Following parasite inoculation and intraperitoneal drug administration (5 and 20 mg/kg/day) for 5 days, the course and size of cutaneous lesions, histopathology of the liver, parasite loads in the spleen through limiting dilution assay as well as spleen cell activation assays through cytokine secretion profiles were studied in BALB/c mice, over a period of 23 and 30 days post-drug injections.

RESULTS

The analogues significantly decreased lesion size and progression of infection in the liver and spleen, and were associated with granuloma formation, which correlates with disease regression in the liver of murine hosts. Moreover, the analogues had immunomodulatory effects, stimulating interferon-γ expression and suppressing interleukin-10 and interleukin-5 production, favouring type-1 immune responses and resolution of the parasitic infection.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results highlight marked differences between the responses of key anatomical organs to the thiadiazole derivatives in comparison with the current antileishmanial drug, meglumine antimoniate. The in vivo observations provide further evidence on the efficiency of the compounds for Leishmania treatment. The immunomodulatory function plays an essential role in enhancing cell-mediated immunity for complete clearance of the pathogen.

Plant derived therapeutics for the treatment of Leishmaniasis

Diseases caused by insect borne trypanosomatid parasites are significant, yet remain a neglected public health problem. Leishmania, a unicellular protozoan parasite is the causative organism of Leishmaniasis and is transmitted by female phlebotamine sandflies affecting millions of people worldwide. In the wake of resistance to pentavalent antimonial drugs, new therapeutic alternatives are desirable. The plant kingdom has in the past provided several affordable compounds and this review aims to provide an overview of the current status of available leishmanicidal plant derived compounds that are effective singly or in combination with conventional anti-leishmanial drugs, yet are non toxic to mammalian host cells. Furthermore, delineation of the contributory biochemical mechanisms involved in mediating their effect would help develop new chemotherapeutic approaches.