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Queiroz da Silva ML, Ferreira de Sousa N, Dos Santos ATL, de Sousa GR, Fonseca VJA, Douglas Melo Coutinho H, Barbosa Filho JM, de Souza Ferrari J, Scotti MT, Ribeiro-Filho J, Martins de Lima JP, da Rocha JBT, Bezerra Morais-Braga MF. Inhibition of the morphological transition of Candida spp. by riparins I-IV. Fundam Clin Pharmacol 2024:e13007. [PMID: 38738393 DOI: 10.1111/fcp.13007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Candida spp. is an opportunistic pathogen capable of causing superficial to invasive infections. Morphological transition is one of the main virulence factors of this genus and, therefore, is an important variable to be considered in pharmacological interventions. Riparins I, II, III, and IV are alkamide-type alkaloids extracted from the unripe fruit of Aniba riparia, whose remarkable pharmacological properties were previously demonstrated. This work aimed to evaluate in silico and in vitro the inhibitory effects of Riparins on the morphological transition of Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, and Candida krusei. Molecular docking was applied to analyze the inhibitory effects of riparins against proteins such as N-acetylglucosamine, CYP-51, and protein kinase A (PKA) using the Ramachandran plot. The ligands were prepared by MarvinSketch and Spartan software version 14.0, and MolDock Score and Rerank Score were used to analyze the affinity of the compounds. In vitro analyses were performed by culturing the strains in humid chambers in the presence of riparins or fluconazole (FCZ). The morphology was observed through optical microscopy, and the size of the hyphae was determined using the ToupView software. In silico analysis demonstrated that all riparins are likely to interact with the molecular targets: GlcNAc (>50%), PKA (>60%), and CYP-51 (>70%). Accordingly, in vitro analysis showed that these compounds significantly inhibited the morphological transition of all Candida strains. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that riparins inhibit Candida morphological transition and, therefore, can be used to overcome the pathogenicity of this genus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Natália Ferreira de Sousa
- Laboratório de Quimioinformática, Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), São João do Cariri, Brazil
| | | | - Gabriela Ribeiro de Sousa
- Departamento de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Paraiba (UFPB), São João do Cariri, Brazil
| | | | | | - José Maria Barbosa Filho
- Departamento de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Paraiba (UFPB), São João do Cariri, Brazil
| | | | - Marcus Tullius Scotti
- Laboratório de Quimioinformática, Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), São João do Cariri, Brazil
| | | | | | - João Batista Teixeira da Rocha
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Universidade Regional do Cariri (URCA), Crato, Brazil
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, Brazil
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2
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Moreira-Filho JT, Neves BJ, Cajas RA, Moraes JD, Andrade CH. Artificial intelligence-guided approach for efficient virtual screening of hits against Schistosoma mansoni. Future Med Chem 2023; 15:2033-2050. [PMID: 37937522 DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2023-0152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The impact of schistosomiasis, which affects over 230 million people, emphasizes the urgency of developing new antischistosomal drugs. Artificial intelligence is vital in accelerating the drug discovery process. Methodology & results: We developed classification and regression machine learning models to predict the schistosomicidal activity of compounds not experimentally tested. The prioritized compounds were tested on schistosomula and adult stages of Schistosoma mansoni. Four compounds demonstrated significant activity against schistosomula, with 50% effective concentration values ranging from 9.8 to 32.5 μM, while exhibiting no toxicity in animal and human cell lines. Conclusion: These findings represent a significant step forward in the discovery of antischistosomal drugs. Further optimization of these active compounds can pave the way for their progression into preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Teófilo Moreira-Filho
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Drug Design (LabMol), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, 74605-170, Brazil
| | - Bruno Junior Neves
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Drug Design (LabMol), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, 74605-170, Brazil
| | - Rayssa Araujo Cajas
- Research Center on Neglected Diseases (NPDN), Universidade Guarulhos, Guarulhos, 07023-070, Brazil
| | - Josué de Moraes
- Research Center on Neglected Diseases (NPDN), Universidade Guarulhos, Guarulhos, 07023-070, Brazil
| | - Carolina Horta Andrade
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Drug Design (LabMol), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, 74605-170, Brazil
- Center for the Research and Advancement in Fragments and molecular Targets (CRAFT), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
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3
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de Souza RL, Mengarda AC, Roquini DB, Melo CO, de Morais MC, C Espírito-Santo MC, de Sousa DP, Moraes JD, Oliveira EE. Enhancing the antischistosomal activity of carvacryl acetate using nanoemulsion. Nanomedicine (Lond) 2023; 18:331-342. [PMID: 37140262 DOI: 10.2217/nnm-2022-0228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim: To formulate a carvacryl acetate nanoemulsion (CANE) and test its antischistosomal activity. Materials & methods: CANE was prepared and tested in vitro on Schistosoma mansoni adult worms and both human and animal cell lines. Next, CANE was administered orally to mice infected with either a prepatent infection or a patent infection of S. mansoni. Results: CANE was stable during 90 days of analysis. CANE showed in vitro anthelmintic activity, and no cytotoxic effects were observed. In vivo, CANE was more effective than the free compounds in reducing worm burden and egg production. Treatment with CANE was more effective for prepatent infections than praziquantel. Conclusion: CANE improves antiparasitic properties and may be a promising delivery system for schistosomiasis treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael L de Souza
- Laboratory of Synthesis & Drug Delivery, State University of Paraíba, João Pessoa, 58071-160, Brazil
| | - Ana C Mengarda
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases, Guarulhos University, Guarulhos, 07023-070, Brazil
| | - Daniel B Roquini
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases, Guarulhos University, Guarulhos, 07023-070, Brazil
| | - Camila O Melo
- Laboratory of Synthesis & Drug Delivery, State University of Paraíba, João Pessoa, 58071-160, Brazil
| | - Mayara C de Morais
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa, 58051-900, Brazil
| | - Maria Cristina C Espírito-Santo
- Laboratory of Immunopathology of Schistosomiasis (LIM-06), Department of Infectious & Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, 01246903, Brazil
- Laboratory of Helminthology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, 05403-000, Brazil
| | - Damião P de Sousa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa, 58051-900, Brazil
| | - Josué de Moraes
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases, Guarulhos University, Guarulhos, 07023-070, Brazil
| | - Elquio E Oliveira
- Laboratory of Synthesis & Drug Delivery, State University of Paraíba, João Pessoa, 58071-160, Brazil
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4
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Leão PVS, Ferreira ALDS, Oliveira FADA, Mesquita ABDS, Lima-Net JDS, Gutierrez SJC, Nogueira CES, Cruz-Martins N, Arcanjo DDR, Barreto HM, Lima Ferreira JH. Riparin-B as a Potential Inhibitor of AdeABC Efflux System from Acinetobacter baumannii. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2023; 2023:1780838. [PMID: 37089710 PMCID: PMC10118900 DOI: 10.1155/2023/1780838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii is an important opportunistic pathogen that causes serious health-related infections, especially in intensive care units. The present study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial activity of Riparin-B (Rip-B) alone and in association with norfloxacin against multidrug-resistant clinical isolates of A. baumannii. For this, the minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined by the microdilution method. For the evaluation of resistance-modulating activity, MIC values for antibiotics were determined in the presence or absence of subinhibitory concentrations of Rip-B or chlorpromazine (CPZ). The AdeABC-AdeRS efflux system genes from these isolates were detected by PCR. Docking studies were also carried out to evaluate the interaction of Riparin-B and the AdeABC-AdeRS efflux system. The study was conducted from 2017 to 2019. The results showed that Rip-B showed weak intrinsic activity against the strains tested. On the other hand, Rip-B was able to modulate norfloxacin's response against A. baumannii strains that express efflux pump-mediated resistance. Docking studies provided projections of the interaction between Rip-B and EtBr with the AdeB protein, suggesting that Rip-B acts by competitive inhibition with the drug. Results found by in vitro and in silico assays suggest that Rip-B, in combination with norfloxacin, has the potential to treat infections caused by multidrug-resistant A. baumanni with efflux pump resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Virna Sales Leão
- Laboratory of Research in Microbiology, Department of Parasitology and Microbiology, Federal University of Piaui, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
| | - Ana Laura da Silva Ferreira
- Laboratory of Research in Microbiology, Department of Parasitology and Microbiology, Federal University of Piaui, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
| | | | - Avilnete Belém de Souza Mesquita
- Laboratory of Research in Microbiology, Department of Parasitology and Microbiology, Federal University of Piaui, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Natália Cruz-Martins
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, Porto 4200-319, Portugal
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, Porto 4200-135, Portugal
| | - Daniel Dias Rufino Arcanjo
- Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Studies on Physiopharmacology (LAFMOL), Department of Biophysics and Physiology, Federal University of Piaui, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
| | - Humberto Medeiros Barreto
- Laboratory of Research in Microbiology, Department of Parasitology and Microbiology, Federal University of Piaui, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
| | - Josie Haydée Lima Ferreira
- Laboratory of Research in Microbiology, Department of Parasitology and Microbiology, Federal University of Piaui, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
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Brito JR, Wilairatana P, Roquini DB, Parra BC, Gonçalves MM, Souza DCS, Ferreira EA, Salvadori MC, Teixeira FS, Lago JHG, de Moraes J. Neolignans isolated from Saururus cernuus L. (Saururaceae) exhibit efficacy against Schistosoma mansoni. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19320. [PMID: 36369516 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23110-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease caused by the blood fluke of the genus Schistosoma, affects over 230 million people, especially in developing countries. Despite the significant economic and public health consequences, only one drug is currently available for treatment of schistosomiasis, praziquantel. Thus, there is an urgent demand for new anthelmintic agents. Based on our continuous studies involving the chemical prospection of floristic biodiversity aiming to discover new bioactive compounds, this work reports the in vitro antiparasitic activity against Schistosoma mansoni adult worms of neolignans threo-austrobailignan-6 and verrucosin, both isolated from Saururus cernuus L. (Saururaceae). These neolignans showed a significant in vitro schistosomicidal activity, with EC50 values of 12.6-28.1 µM. Further analysis revealed a pronounced reduction in the number of S. mansoni eggs. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed morphological alterations when schistosomes were exposed to either threo-austrobailignan-6 or verrucosin. These relevant antischistosomal properties were accompanied by low cytotoxicity potential against the animal (Vero) and human (HaCaT) cell lines, resulting in a high selectivity index. Considering the promising chemical and biological properties of threo-austrobailignan-6 and verrucosin, this research should be of interest to those in the area of neglected diseases and in particular antischistosomal drug discovery.
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Fonseca SA, Cunha AL, Lima FCA, Silva MSCE, Silva KWL, Araújo MV, Moreira MSA, Bento ES, Sabino AR, Rocha TJM, Ferreira RCS, Costa JGD, Santos AF, Santana AEG. Molecular docking studies and evaluation of the antiretroviral activity and cytotoxicity of the species Lafoensia pacari Saint-Hilaire. BRAZ J BIOL 2022; 82:e256261. [PMID: 35894349 DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.256261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Interest in antiviral plant species has grown exponentially and some have been reported to have anti-HIV properties. This research aims to perform the bio-guided phytochemical fractionation by antiretroviral activity of Lafoensia pacari stem barks. This in vitro experimental study involved the preparation of plant material, obtention of ethanolic extract, fractionation, purification, identification and quantification of fractions, acid-base extraction, nuclear magnetic resonance, HIV-1 RT inhibition test and molecular docking studies. From the bio-guided fractionation by the antiretroviral activity there was a higher activity in the acetanolic subfractions, highlighting the acetate subfraction - neutrals with 60.98% of RT inhibition and ellagic acid with 88.61% of RT inhibition and absence of cytotoxicity. The macrophage lineage cytotoxicity assay showed that the chloroform fraction was more toxic than the acetate fraction. The analysis of the J-resolved spectrum in the aromatic region showed a singlet at 7.48 and 6.93 ppm which was identified as ellagic acid and gallic acid, respectively. The 5TIQ enzyme obtained better affinity parameter with the ellagic acid ligand, which was confirmed by the HSQC-1H-13C spectra. Gallic acid was also favorable to form interaction with the 5TIQ enzyme, being confirmed through the HSQC-1H-13C spectrum. From the PreADMET evaluation it was found that ellagic acid is a promising molecule for its RT inhibition activity and pharmacokinetic and toxicity parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- S A Fonseca
- Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Instituto de Química e Biotecnologia, Maceió, AL, Brasil
| | - A L Cunha
- Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Instituto de Química e Biotecnologia, Maceió, AL, Brasil
| | - F C A Lima
- Universidade Estadual do Piauí - UESPI, Departamento de Química, Curso de Licenciatura Plena em Química, Laboratório de Quântica Computacional & Planejamento de Fármaco, Teresina, PI, Brasil
| | - M S Cruz E Silva
- Universidade Estadual do Piauí - UESPI, Departamento de Química, Curso de Licenciatura Plena em Química, Laboratório de Quântica Computacional & Planejamento de Fármaco, Teresina, PI, Brasil
| | - K W L Silva
- Centro Universitário Cesmac, Maceió, AL, Brasil
| | - M V Araújo
- Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Maceió, AL, Brasil
| | - M S A Moreira
- Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Maceió, AL, Brasil
| | - E S Bento
- Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Instituto de Química e Biotecnologia, Maceió, AL, Brasil
| | - A R Sabino
- Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Instituto de Química e Biotecnologia, Maceió, AL, Brasil
| | - T J M Rocha
- Centro Universitário Cesmac, Maceió, AL, Brasil.,Universidade Estadual de Ciências da Saúde de Alagoas, Núcleo de Ciências Biológicas, Maceió, AL, Brasil
| | - R C S Ferreira
- Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Laboratório de Farmacologia Antiviral e Celular, Maceió, AL, Brasil
| | - J G da Costa
- Embrapa Tabuleiros Costeiros (UEP-Rio Largo), Rio Largo, AL, Brasil
| | - A F Santos
- Centro Universitário Cesmac, Maceió, AL, Brasil.,Universidade Estadual de Alagoas, Arapiraca, AL, Brasil
| | - A E G Santana
- Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Rio Largo, AL, Brasil
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Silva TC, Mengarda AC, Lemes BL, Lescano SAZ, Souza DCS, Lago JHG, de Moraes J. N-(4-Methoxyphenyl)Pentanamide, a Simplified Derivative of Albendazole, Displays Anthelmintic Properties against the Nematode Toxocara canis. Microbiol Spectr 2022;:e0180722. [PMID: 35900089 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01807-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Infections caused by parasitic helminths have enormous health, social, and economic impacts worldwide. The treatment and control of these diseases have been dependent on a limited set of drugs, many of which have become less effective, necessitating the search for novel anthelmintic agents. In this study, a simplified compound, N-(4-methoxyphenyl)pentanamide (N4MP), based on the structure of the most widely used anthelmintic (albendazole), was chemically prepared using 4-anisidine and pentanoic acid. N-(4-Methoxyphenyl)pentanamide was evaluated in vitro against the nematode Toxocara canis, an ascarid roundworm of animals that can infect humans. Similar to albendazole, bioassays showed that N-(4-methoxyphenyl)pentanamide affected the viability of parasites in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Interestingly, N-(4-methoxyphenyl)pentanamide showed a profile of lower cytotoxicity to human and animal cell lines than albendazole. Pharmacokinetic, drug-likeness, and medicinal chemistry friendliness studies demonstrated an excellent drug-likeness profile for N-(4-methoxyphenyl)pentanamide as well as an adherence to major pharmaceutical companies’ filters. Collectively, the results of this study demonstrate that the molecular simplification of albendazole to give N-(4-methoxyphenyl)pentanamide may be an important pipeline in the discovery of novel anthelmintic agents. IMPORTANCE Infections caused by parasitic helminths have enormous health, social, and economic impacts worldwide. The treatment and control of these diseases have been dependent on a limited set of drugs, many of which have become less effective, necessitating the search for novel anthelmintic agents. Considering this scenario, the present study reports the preparation of N-(4-methoxyphenyl)pentanamide (N4MP), a simplified molecule based on the structure of the most widely used anthelmintic (albendazole). N4MP was evaluated in vitro against the nematode Toxocara canis, a common ascarid roundworm of domestic animals that can infect humans. Similar to albendazole, bioassays showed that N4MP affected the viability of parasites in a time- and concentration-dependent manner but displayed a profile of lower cytotoxicity to human and animal cell lines than albendazole. Therefore, this study demonstrates that the molecular simplification of albendazole to give N4MP may be an important pipeline in the discovery of novel anthelmintic agents.
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Madasamy K, Balakrishnan MH, Korivi R, Mannathan S. Trifluoroacetic Acid-Mediated Denitrogenative ortho-Hydroxylation of 1,2,3-Benzotriazin-4(3 H)-ones: A Metal-Free Approach. J Org Chem 2022; 87:8752-8756. [PMID: 35700398 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.2c00354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
An efficient trifluoroacetic acid-mediated denitrogenative hydroxylation of 1,2,3-benzotriazin-4(3H)-ones is described. This metal-free approach is compatible with a wide range of 1,2,3-benzotriazin-4(3H)-ones, affording ortho-hydroxylated benzamides in good to high yields with a short reaction time. The reaction is believed to proceed via a benzene diazonium intermediate. The synthetic utility of the reaction was successfully demonstrated by the preparation of an antimicrobial drug, Riparin C, and benzoxazine-2,4(3H)-diones in good yields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanagaraj Madasamy
- Department of Chemistry, SRM University, AP, Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh 522 502, India
| | - Madasamy Hari Balakrishnan
- Department of Chemistry, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chennai 603 203, India
| | - Ramaraju Korivi
- Department of Chemistry, SRM University, AP, Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh 522 502, India
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Xavier ES, de Souza RL, Rodrigues VC, Melo CO, Roquini DB, Lemes BL, Wilairatana P, Oliveira EE, de Moraes J. Therapeutic Efficacy of Carvacrol-Loaded Nanoemulsion in a Mouse Model of Schistosomiasis. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:917363. [PMID: 35784725 PMCID: PMC9247328 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.917363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Since praziquantel is the only drug available to treat schistosomiasis, a neglected parasitic disease that affects more than 240 million people worldwide, there is an urgent demand for new antischistosomal agents. Natural compound-loaded nanoparticles have recently emerged as a promising alternative for the treatment of schistosomiasis. Carvacrol is an antimicrobial monoterpene present in the essential oil extracted from several plants, especially oregano (Origanum vulgare). In this study, a carvacrol nanoemulsion (CVNE) was prepared, characterized, and administered orally (200 mg/kg) in a mouse infected with either immature (prepatent infection) or adult (patent infection) Schistosoma mansoni. For comparison, data obtained with an unloaded nanoemulsion (blank formulation), free carvacrol, and the drug of reference praziquantel are also presented. CVNE was more effective than free carvacrol in reducing the worm burden and egg production in both patent and prepatent infections. Favorably, CVNE had a high effect in terms of reducing the number of worms and eggs (85%–90%) compared with praziquantel (∼30%) in prepatent infection. In tandem, carvacrol-loaded nanoemulsion markedly improved antischistosomal activity, showing efficiency in reducing worm and egg burden, and thus it may be a promising delivery system for the treatment of schistosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edilaine S. Xavier
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases, Guarulhos University, Guarulhos, Brazil
| | - Rafael L. de Souza
- Laboratory of Synthesis and Drug Delivery, State University of Paraiba, João Pessoa, Brazil
| | | | - Camila O. Melo
- Laboratory of Synthesis and Drug Delivery, State University of Paraiba, João Pessoa, Brazil
| | - Daniel B. Roquini
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases, Guarulhos University, Guarulhos, Brazil
| | - Bruna L. Lemes
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases, Guarulhos University, Guarulhos, Brazil
| | - Polrat Wilairatana
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- *Correspondence: Polrat Wilairatana, ; Josué de Moraes,
| | - Elquio E. Oliveira
- Laboratory of Synthesis and Drug Delivery, State University of Paraiba, João Pessoa, Brazil
| | - Josué de Moraes
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases, Guarulhos University, Guarulhos, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Polrat Wilairatana, ; Josué de Moraes,
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de Sá ÉRA, Souza JL, Costa RKM, Barros RO, de Lima CEB, Lima FDCA, Ramos RM. Computational investigation of the alkaloids of Pilocarpus microphyllus species as phytopharmaceuticals for the inhibition of sterol 14α-demethylase protease of Trypanosoma cruzi. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 41:2555-2573. [PMID: 35132947 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2035819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is a protozoan transmitted by the insect Triatoma infestans, popularly known as kissing bug. This protozoan causes the Chagas disease, a Neglected Tropical Disease. This study aimed to investigate, through DFT method and B3LYP hybrid functional, the physicochemical, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic properties of the alkaloids present in the leaves of the species Pilocarpus microphyllus (jaborandi) as a potential inhibitory activity on the protease sterol 14α-demethylase of T. cruzi associated with the techniques of molecular docking, molecular dynamics, MM-PBSA and ADMET predictions. The molecules of isopilosine, epiisopiloturine, epiisopilosine, and pilosine showed up the lowest binding energies by molecular docking, good human intestinal absorption, low penetration in the blood-brain barrier, antiprotozoal and anticarcinogenic activities in ADMET studies. It has been observed a better binding affinity of the sterol 14α-demethylase protease with isopilosine in molecular dynamics and MM-PBSA studies, which indicates it as a potential drug candidate for Chagas disease.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ézio R. A. de Sá
- Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Piauí, IFPI, Picos, Piauí, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Chemistry, Federal University of Piauí, PPGQ/UFPI, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
- Research Laboratory of the Computational Quantum Chemistry and Drug Planning Group, Chemistry Department, State University of Piauí, GQQC&PF/UESPI, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
- Research Laboratory in Information Systems, Information Department, Environment, Health and Food Production, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Piauí, LaPeSI/IFPI, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
| | - Janilson L. Souza
- Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Maranhão, IFMA, Bacabal, Maranhão, Brazil
| | - Rayla K. M. Costa
- Research Laboratory of the Computational Quantum Chemistry and Drug Planning Group, Chemistry Department, State University of Piauí, GQQC&PF/UESPI, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
| | - Rômulo O. Barros
- Research Laboratory in Information Systems, Information Department, Environment, Health and Food Production, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Piauí, LaPeSI/IFPI, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
| | - Carlos E. B. de Lima
- University Hospital, Federal University of Piauí, Discipline of Cardiology, Department of General Practice - Cardiology and Health Sciences Center, DCG/CCS/UFPI, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
| | - Francisco das C. A. Lima
- Research Laboratory of the Computational Quantum Chemistry and Drug Planning Group, Chemistry Department, State University of Piauí, GQQC&PF/UESPI, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
| | - Ricardo M. Ramos
- Research Laboratory in Information Systems, Information Department, Environment, Health and Food Production, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Piauí, LaPeSI/IFPI, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
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11
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Silva BC, Mengarda AC, Rodrigues VC, Cajas RA, Carnaúba PU, Espírito-Santo MCC, Bezerra-Filho CSM, de Sousa DP, de Moraes J. Efficacy of carvacryl acetate in vitro and following oral administration to mice harboring either prepatent or patent Schistosoma mansoni infections. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:3837-3844. [PMID: 34604934 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07333-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a major public health problem that afflicts more than 240 million individuals globally, particularly in poor communities. Treatment of schistosomiasis relies heavily on a single oral drug, praziquantel, and there is interest in the search for new antischistosomal drugs. This study reports the anthelmintic evaluation of carvacryl acetate, a derivative of the terpene carvacrol, against Schistosoma mansoni ex vivo and in a schistosomiasis animal model harboring either adult (patent infection) or juvenile (prepatent infection) parasites. For comparison, data obtained with gold standard antischistosomal drug praziquantel are also presented. Initially in vitro effective concentrations of 50% (EC50) and 90% (EC90) were determined against larval and adult stages of S. mansoni. In an animal with patent infection, a single oral dose of carvacryl acetate (100, 200, or 400 mg/kg) caused a significant reduction in worm burden (30-40%). S. mansoni egg production, a process responsible for both life cycle and pathogenesis, was also markedly reduced (70-80%). Similar to praziquantel, carvacryl acetate 400 mg/kg had low efficacy in pre-patent infection. In tandem, although carvacryl acetate had interesting in vitro schistosomicidal activity, the compound exhibited low efficacy in terms of reduction of worm load in S. mansoni-infected mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca C Silva
- Núcleo de Pesquisa Em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, R. Eng. Prestes Maia, 88, Centro, Guarulhos, SP, 07023-070, Brazil
| | - Ana C Mengarda
- Núcleo de Pesquisa Em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, R. Eng. Prestes Maia, 88, Centro, Guarulhos, SP, 07023-070, Brazil
| | - Vinícius C Rodrigues
- Núcleo de Pesquisa Em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, R. Eng. Prestes Maia, 88, Centro, Guarulhos, SP, 07023-070, Brazil
| | - Rayssa A Cajas
- Núcleo de Pesquisa Em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, R. Eng. Prestes Maia, 88, Centro, Guarulhos, SP, 07023-070, Brazil
| | - Paulo U Carnaúba
- Núcleo de Pesquisa Em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, R. Eng. Prestes Maia, 88, Centro, Guarulhos, SP, 07023-070, Brazil
| | - Maria Cristina C Espírito-Santo
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia da Esquistossomose (LIM-06), Departamento de Moléstias Infecciosas E Parasitárias, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Laboratório de Helmintologia, Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, Universidade de São Paulo, SP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carlos S M Bezerra-Filho
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil
| | - Damião P de Sousa
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil
| | - Josué de Moraes
- Núcleo de Pesquisa Em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, R. Eng. Prestes Maia, 88, Centro, Guarulhos, SP, 07023-070, Brazil.
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12
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Carnaúba PU, Mengarda AC, Rodrigues VC, Morais TR, de Oliveira A, Lago JHG, de Moraes J. Evaluation of Gibbilimbol B, Isolated from Piper malacophyllum (Piperaceae), as an Antischistosomal Agent. Chem Biodivers 2021; 18:e2100503. [PMID: 34418297 DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.202100503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Infections caused by parasitic worms impose a considerable worldwide health burden. One of the most impactful is schistosomiasis, a disease caused by blood-dwelling of the genus Schistosoma that affects more than 230 million people worldwide. Since praziquantel has also been extensively used to treat schistosomiasis and other parasitic flatworm infections, there is an urgent need to identify novel anthelmintic compounds, mainly from natural sources. In this study, the hexane extract from roots of Piper malacophyllum (Piperaceae) showed to be mainly composed for gibbilimbol B by HPLC/ESI-HRMS. Based on this result, this compound was isolated by chromatographic steps and its structure was confirmed by NMR. In vitro bioassays showed that gibbilimbol B was more active than praziquantel against larval stage of S. mansoni, with effective concentrations of 50 % (EC50 ) and 90 % (EC90 ) values of 2.6 and 3.4 μM, respectively. Importantly, gibbilimbol B showed no cytotoxicity to mammalian cells at a concentration 190 times greater than the antiparasitic effect, giving support for the anthelmintic potential of gibbilimbol B as lead compound for novel antischistosomal agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo U Carnaúba
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, Praça Tereza Cristina, 88, Guarulhos, SP, 07023-070, Brazil
| | - Ana C Mengarda
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, Praça Tereza Cristina, 88, Guarulhos, SP, 07023-070, Brazil
| | - Vinícius C Rodrigues
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, Praça Tereza Cristina, 88, Guarulhos, SP, 07023-070, Brazil
| | - Thiago R Morais
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, Praça Tereza Cristina, 88, Guarulhos, SP, 07023-070, Brazil
| | - Alberto de Oliveira
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Av. João Naves de Ávila, 2121, Uberlândia, MG, 38408-100, Brazil
| | - João Henrique G Lago
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Avenida dos Estados, 5001, Santo André, SP, 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Josué de Moraes
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, Praça Tereza Cristina, 88, Guarulhos, SP, 07023-070, Brazil
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13
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Porto R, Mengarda AC, Cajas RA, Salvadori MC, Teixeira FS, Arcanjo DDR, Siyadatpanah A, Pereira MDL, Wilairatana P, de Moraes J. Antiparasitic Properties of Cardiovascular Agents against Human Intravascular Parasite Schistosoma mansoni. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14070686. [PMID: 34358112 PMCID: PMC8308662 DOI: 10.3390/ph14070686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The intravascular parasitic worm Schistosoma mansoni is a causative agent of schistosomiasis, a disease of great global public health significance. Praziquantel is the only drug available to treat schistosomiasis and there is an urgent demand for new anthelmintic agents. Adopting a phenotypic drug screening strategy, here, we evaluated the antiparasitic properties of 46 commercially available cardiovascular drugs against S. mansoni. From these screenings, we found that amiodarone, telmisartan, propafenone, methyldopa, and doxazosin affected the viability of schistosomes in vitro, with effective concentrations of 50% (EC50) and 90% (EC90) values ranging from 8 to 50 µM. These results were further supported by scanning electron microscopy analysis. Subsequently, the most effective drug (amiodarone) was further tested in a murine model of schistosomiasis for both early and chronic S. mansoni infections using a single oral dose of 400 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg daily for five consecutive days. Amiodarone had a low efficacy in chronic infection, with the worm and egg burden reduction ranging from 10 to 30%. In contrast, amiodarone caused a significant reduction in worm and egg burden in early infection (>50%). Comparatively, treatment with amiodarone is more effective in early infection than praziquantel, demonstrating the potential role of this cardiovascular drug as an antischistosomal agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Porto
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases, Guarulhos University, Praça Tereza Cristina 229, São Paulo 07023-070, SP, Brazil; (R.P.); (A.C.M.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Ana C. Mengarda
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases, Guarulhos University, Praça Tereza Cristina 229, São Paulo 07023-070, SP, Brazil; (R.P.); (A.C.M.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Rayssa A. Cajas
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases, Guarulhos University, Praça Tereza Cristina 229, São Paulo 07023-070, SP, Brazil; (R.P.); (A.C.M.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Maria C. Salvadori
- Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-060, SP, Brazil; (M.C.S.); (F.S.T.)
| | - Fernanda S. Teixeira
- Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-060, SP, Brazil; (M.C.S.); (F.S.T.)
| | - Daniel D. R. Arcanjo
- Department of Biophysics and Physiology, Federal University of Piaui, Teresina 64049-550, PI, Brazil;
| | - Abolghasem Siyadatpanah
- Ferdows School of Paramedical and Health, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand 9717853577, Iran;
| | - Maria de Lourdes Pereira
- CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials & Department of Medical Sciences, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal;
| | - Polrat Wilairatana
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
- Correspondence: (P.W.); (J.d.M.)
| | - Josué de Moraes
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases, Guarulhos University, Praça Tereza Cristina 229, São Paulo 07023-070, SP, Brazil; (R.P.); (A.C.M.); (R.A.C.)
- Correspondence: (P.W.); (J.d.M.)
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14
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Lima C, Andrade D, Moreira G, Sousa Â, Leal A, Figuerêdo J, Furtado P, Feitosa C, Araujo A, Andrade I, Miranda J, Lima A, Rocha C, Silva T, Mengarda AC, de Moraes J, Rocha J. Antibacterial, Antibiofilm, and Antischistosomal Activity of Montrichardia linifera (Arruda) Schott (Araceae) Leaf Extracts. Sci Pharm 2021; 89:31. [DOI: 10.3390/scipharm89030031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
With a broad ethnopharmacological tradition in Brazil, Montrichardia linifera has been reported as a potent antirheumatic, antimicrobial, and antiprotozoan agent. However, there is a lack of studies on its effect on bacterial biofilm formation and Schistosoma mansoni worms. This study reports the effects of antibacterial, antibiofilm, and antischistosomal properties of leaf extracts of M. linifera. Phytochemical screening and identification of the main compounds of the extracts were performed. All the extracts evaluated showed antibacterial activity at the concentrations tested. We checked for the presence of flavonoids and derivatives of phenolic acids by the presence of spectra with bands characteristic of these classes in the sample analyzed. The antibacterial assays showed that the best MICs corresponded to 125 µg/mL against Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 in all fractions. The ethanolic and methanolic extracts showed the ability to inhibit biofilm of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25123. For the antischistosomal activity, only the acetone and ethyl acetate extracts had a significant effect against helminths, with potent activity at a concentration of 50 µg/mL, killing 100% of the worms after 72 h of incubation. The M. linifera leaf extracts showed antibacterial activity, biofilm inhibition capacity, and anthelmintic activity against S. mansoni.
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Mengarda AC, Silva MP, Cirino ME, Morais TR, Conserva GAA, Lago JHG, de Moraes J. Licarin A, a neolignan isolated from Nectandra oppositifolia Nees & Mart. (Lauraceae), exhibited moderate preclinical efficacy against Schistosoma mansoni infection. Phytother Res 2021; 35:5154-5162. [PMID: 34089558 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.7184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a widespread human parasitic disease currently affecting over 200 million people, particularly in poor communities. Chemotherapy for schistosomiasis relies exclusively on praziquantel (PZQ). Previous studies have shown that licarin A (LIC-A), a dihydrobenzofuran neolignan, exhibited in vitro antiparasitic activity against Schistosoma mansoni adult worms. This study aimed to investigate the potential of LIC-A, isolated as main metabolite from leaves of Nectandra oppositifolia Nees & Mart. (Lauraceae), as an antischistosomal agent orally active in schistosomiasis animal model. PZQ was used as a reference compound. As result, LIC-A showed, at a single dose of 400 mg/kg, to be able to partially cure infected mice (worm burden reductions of ~50%). Parasite eggs, that are responsible for a variety of pathologies and transmission of schistosomiasis, were also moderately inhibited by LIC-A (egg burden reductions of ~50%-60%). Furthermore, it was observed that LIC-A achieved a slight reduction of hepatomegaly and splenomegaly. Collectively, although LIC-A was partially active when administered orally, these results give support for the antiparasitic potential LIC-A as lead compound for novel antischistosomal agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana C Mengarda
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, Guarulhos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcos P Silva
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, Guarulhos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maria E Cirino
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, Guarulhos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Thiago R Morais
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, Guarulhos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Geanne A A Conserva
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - João Henrique G Lago
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Josué de Moraes
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, Guarulhos, São Paulo, Brazil
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16
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Muratori Costa L, Nascimento de Sousa J, Braz DC, Lima Ferreira JH, Sampaio Nogueira CE, Barbosa-Filho JM, de Sousa Lima-Neto J, Chavez Gutierrez SJ, de Araújo Abi-Chacra É, Barreto HM. Mechanism of the lethal effect of Riparin E against bacterial and yeast strains. Microb Pathog 2021; 157:104968. [PMID: 34029656 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2021.104968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Riparins are alkamides naturally found in the fruits of Aniba riparia (Nees) Mez, but currently synthetic molecules as Riparin E (Rip-E) can be obtained. Potential biological of Rip-E as schistosomicidal agent against Schistosoma mansoni worms, as well as against Staphylococcus aureus strains has already been described. However, the mechanism of action related to antimicrobial activity of Rip-E against bacterial or fungi species has not yet been reported. This study had as objective to evaluate the Rip-E antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as against yeast species of clinical importance. Minimal inhibitory concentrations of the compound against bacterial and yeast strains were determined by microdilution method. To verify if a possible lethal effect caused by Rip-E were related to plasma membrane damage, microbial cells treated with Rip-E were stained with 7-aminoactinomycin D (7-AAD) and analyzed by flow cytometry. Rip-E showed a bactericide effect against Gram-positive species S. aureus and S. epidermidis, as well as, against Gram-negative species Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica Typhimurium, but was inactive against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Moreover, Rip-E showed activity against fungi species Candida albicans and C. tropicalis. S. aureus, E. coli and C. albicans cells treated with Rip-E were marked with 7-aminoactinomycin D (7-AAD) indicating that Rip-E can cause plasma membrane damage, acting as a potential microbicide agent for prevention or treatment of infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana Muratori Costa
- Department of Parasitology and Microbiology, Federal University of Piauí, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - José Maria Barbosa-Filho
- Pharmaceutical Technology Laboratory, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil
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Silva TC, Mengarda AC, Silva BC, Relvas-Lima TS, Rodrigues VC, Salvadori MC, Teixeira FS, Lopes AF, Rando DG, Moraes J. New evidence for tamoxifen as an antischistosomal agent: in vitro, in vivo and target fishing studies. Future Med Chem 2021; 13:945-57. [PMID: 33896196 DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2020-0311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Praziquantel is the only drug available to treat schistosomiasis, and there is an urgent demand for new anthelmintic agents. Methodology & results: We conducted in-depth in vitro and in vivo studies and report a target fishing investigation. In vitro, tamoxifen was active against adult and immature worms at low concentrations (<5 μM). Tamoxifen at a single dose (400 mg/kg) or once daily for five consecutive days (100 mg/kg/day) in mice harboring either adult (patent infection) or juvenile (prepatent infection) significantly reduced worm burden (30-70%) and egg production (70-90%). Target fishing studies revealed propionyl-CoA carboxylase as a potential target for tamoxifen in Schistosoma mansoni and glucose uptake by S. mansoni was also significantly reduced. Conclusion: Our results provide news evidence of antiparasitic effect of tamoxifen and reveal propionyl-CoA carboxylase as a potential target.
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Costa LM, Muálem de Moraes Alves M, Brito LM, de Araujo Abi-Chacra E, Barbosa-Filho JM, Chavez Gutierrez SJ, Barreto HM, Aécio de Amorim Carvalho F. In vitro antileishmanial and immunomodulatory activities of the synthetic analogue riparin E. Chem Biol Interact 2021; 336:109389. [PMID: 33484715 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2021.109389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniases are infectious diseases caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania, that may have different clinical manifestations. First line drugs used in the treatment of leishmaniosis are high costly, and are very aggressive requiring medical monitoring. Thus new therapeutic alternatives are needed and, in this context, natural products have been considered as a source of new antileishmania agents. Riparins are alkamides found in the unripe fruits of Aniba riparia. Several biological activities are described for this group of compounds, such as antimicrobial and antiparasitic potential. The objective of this work was to evaluate the anti-leishmania activity riparin E (Rip-E) in vitro, against promastigotes and internalized amastigotes of Leishmania amazonensis. Rip-E was able to inhibit promastigote cell growth (IC50 4.7 μg/ml) and to reduce the percentage of macrophages infected with amastigotes, reducing its infectivity (survival index) (IC50 1.3 μg/ml). The cytotoxicity against BALB/c murine macrophages was also assessed (CC50 50.6 μg/ml) and the selectivity index was 38.9. Rip-E also demonstrated immunomodulatory activity, evidenced by the increase of the phagocytic capacity and lysosomal activity. However, Rip-E did not affect directly the production of nitric oxide. These results suggest that Rip-E has antileishmania potential, by both its direct inhibitory effect and its ability to activate macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana Muratori Costa
- Laboratory for Research in Microbiology, Department of Parasitology and Microbiology, Federal University of Piauí, Teresina, PI, Brazil
| | | | - Lucas Moreira Brito
- Medicinal Plants Research Center, Federal University of Piauí, Teresina, PI, Brazil
| | - Erika de Araujo Abi-Chacra
- Laboratory for Research in Microbiology, Department of Parasitology and Microbiology, Federal University of Piauí, Teresina, PI, Brazil
| | - José Maria Barbosa-Filho
- Pharmaceutical Technology Laboratory, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil
| | - Stanley Juan Chavez Gutierrez
- Laboratory Chemistry of Bioactive Natural and Synthetic Products, Department of Pharmacy, Federal University of Piauí, Teresina, PI, Brazil
| | - Humberto Medeiros Barreto
- Laboratory for Research in Microbiology, Department of Parasitology and Microbiology, Federal University of Piauí, Teresina, PI, Brazil.
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19
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Silva MP, Silva TM, Mengarda AC, Salvadori MC, Teixeira FS, Alencar SM, Luz Filho GC, Bueno-Silva B, de Moraes J. Brazilian red propolis exhibits antiparasitic properties in vitro and reduces worm burden and egg production in an mouse model harboring either early or chronic Schistosoma mansoni infection. J Ethnopharmacol 2021; 264:113387. [PMID: 32918996 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.113387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Propolis has been used in folk medicine for thousands of years and, in the past few decades, it has attracted renewed interest. Although propolis has been traditionally used in many communities worldwide against parasitic diseases, its effect against Schistosoma mansoni infection remains unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY To demonstrate the effects of Brazilian red propolis on Schistosoma mansoni ex vivo and in an animal model of schistosomiasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS In vitro, we monitored phenotypic and tegumental changes as well as the effects of the crude extract of propolis on pairing and egg production. In a mouse infected with either immature (early infection) or adult (chronic infection) worms, propolis was administered by oral gavage and we studied the influence of this natural product on worm burden and egg production. RESULTS Propolis 25 μg/mL reduced motility and caused 100% mortality of adult parasites ex vivo. Further analysis revealed a pronounced reduction in oviposition after exposure to propolis at sub-lethal concentrations. In addition, scanning electron microscopy showed morphological alterations in the tegument of schistosomes. In the animal model, propolis markedly reduced worm burden and egg production in both early and chronic S. mansoni infection when compared to untreated control animals. CONCLUSIONS The efficacy of Brazilian red propolis in both in vitro and in vivo studies suggests its potential anthelmintic properties against S. mansoni infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos P Silva
- Núcleo de Pesquisa Em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil.
| | - Thiago M Silva
- Núcleo de Pesquisa Em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil.
| | - Ana C Mengarda
- Núcleo de Pesquisa Em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil.
| | - Maria C Salvadori
- Instituto de Física, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | | | - Severino M Alencar
- Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz", Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | | | - Bruno Bueno-Silva
- Departamento de Odontologia, Universidade Guarulhos, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil.
| | - Josué de Moraes
- Núcleo de Pesquisa Em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil.
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20
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Pereira VRD, da Silveira LS, Mengarda AC, Alves Júnior IJ, da Silva OOZ, Miguel FB, Silva MP, Almeida ADC, Torres DDS, Pinto PF, Coimbra ES, de Moraes J, Couri MRC, da Silva Filho AA. Antischistosomal properties of aurone derivatives against juvenile and adult worms of Schistosoma mansoni. Acta Trop 2021; 213:105741. [PMID: 33159900 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a neglected disease caused by helminth flatworms of the genus Schistosoma, affecting over 240 million people in more than 70 countries. The treatment relies on a single drug, praziquantel, making urgent the discovery of new compounds. Aurones are a natural type of flavonoids that display interesting pharmacological activities, particularly as chemotherapeutic agents against parasites. In pursuit of treatment alternatives, the present work conducted an in vitro and in vivo antischistosomal investigation with aurone derivatives against Schistosoma mansoni. After preparation of aurone derivatives and their in vitro evaluation on adult schistosomes, the three most active aurones were evaluated in cytotoxicity and haemolytic assays, as well as in confocal laser-scanning microscope studies, showing tegumental damage in parasites in a concentration-dependent manner with no haemolytic or cytotoxic potential toward mammalian cells. In a mouse model of schistosomiasis, at a single oral dose of 400 mg/kg, the selected aurones showed worm burden reductions of 35% to 65.0% and egg reductions of 25% to 70.0%. The most active thiophenyl aurone derivative 18, unlike PZQ, had efficacy in mice harboring juvenile S. mansoni, also showing significant inhibition of oviposition by parasites, giving support for the antiparasitic potential of aurones as lead compounds for novel antischistosomal drugs.
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Sessa DP, Mengarda AC, Simplicio PE, Antar GM, Lago JHG, de Moraes J. 15β-Senecioyl-oxy- ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic Acid, a Diterpene Isolated from Baccharis lateralis, as Promising Oral Compound for the Treatment of Schistosomiasis. J Nat Prod 2020; 83:3744-3750. [PMID: 33236902 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.0c01050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Praziquantel is the only available drug to treat schistosomiasis, and therefore, urgent studies must be performed to identify new anthelmintic agents. This study reports the anthelmintic evaluation of two related ent-kaurane diterpenes isolated from aerial parts of Baccharis lateralis (Asteraceae), ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid (1) and 15β-senecioyl-oxy-ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid (2) against Schistosoma mansoni in vitro and in a murine model of schistosomiasis. Both compounds exhibited in vitro activity with lethal concentration 50% (LC50) values of 26.1 μM (1) and 11.6 μM (2) as well as reduced toxicity against human cell lines, revealing a good selectivity profile, mainly with compound 2 (selectivity index > 10). Compound 2 also decreased egg production and caused morphological alterations in the parasite reproductive system. In mice infected with S. mansoni, oral treatment with compound 2 at 400 mg/kg, the standard dose used in this model of schistosomiasis, caused a significant reduction in a total worm burden of 61.9% (P < 0.01). S. mansoni egg production, a key mechanism for both transmission and pathogenesis, was also markedly reduced. In addition, compound 2 achieved a significant reduction in hepatosplenomegaly. Therefore, the diterpene 15β-senecioyl-oxy-ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid (2) has an acceptable cytotoxicity profile and is orally active in a murine schistosomiasis model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah P Sessa
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, São Paulo 09210-180, Brazil
| | - Ana C Mengarda
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, Guarulhos, São Paulo 07023-070, Brazil
| | - Paula E Simplicio
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, Guarulhos, São Paulo 07023-070, Brazil
| | - Guilherme M Antar
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-090, Brazil
| | - João Henrique G Lago
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, São Paulo 09210-180, Brazil
| | - Josué de Moraes
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, Guarulhos, São Paulo 07023-070, Brazil
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Queiroz LS, Ferreira EA, Mengarda AC, Almeida ADC, Pinto PF, Coimbra ES, de Moraes J, Denadai ÂML, Da Silva Filho AA. In vitro and in vivo evaluation of cnicin from blessed thistle (Centaurea benedicta) and its inclusion complexes with cyclodextrins against Schistosoma mansoni. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:1321-33. [PMID: 33164156 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06963-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis, caused by a blood fluke of the genus Schistosoma, afflicts over 230 million people worldwide. Treatment of the disease relies on just one drug, praziquantel. Cnicin (Cn) is the sesquiterpene lactone found in blessed thistle (Centaurea benedicta) that showed antiparasitic activities but has not been evaluated against Schistosoma. However, cnicin has poor water solubility, which may limit its antiparasitic activities. To overcome these restrictions, inclusion complexes with cyclodextrins may be used. In this work, we evaluated the in vitro and in vivo antischistosomal activities of cnicin and its complexes with β-cyclodextrin (βCD) and 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) against Schistosoma mansoni. Cnicin were isolated from C. benedicta by chromatographic fractionation. Complexes formed by cnicin and βCD (Cn/βCD), as well as by cnicin and HPβCD (Cn/HPβCD), were prepared by coprecipitation and characterized. In vitro schistosomicidal assays were used to evaluate the effects of cnicin and its complexes on adult schistosomes, while the in vivo antischistosomal assays were evaluated by oral and intraperitoneal routes. Results showed that cnicin caused mortality and tegumental alterations in adult schistosomes in vitro, also showing in vivo efficacy after intraperitoneal administration. The oral treatment with cnicin or Cn/βCD showed no significant worm reductions in a mouse model of schistosomiasis. In contrast, Cn/HPβCD complex, when orally or intraperitoneally administered to S. mansoni-infected mice, decreased the total worm load, and markedly reduced the number of eggs, showing high in vivo antischistosomal effectiveness. Permeability studies, using Nile red, indicated that HPβCD complex may reach the tegument of adult schistosomes in vivo. These results demonstrated the antischistosomal potential of cnicin in preparations with HPβCD.
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de Brito MG, Mengarda AC, Oliveira GL, Cirino ME, Silva TC, de Oliveira RN, Allegretti SM, de Moraes J. Therapeutic Effect of Diminazene Aceturate on Parasitic Blood Fluke Schistosoma mansoni Infection. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2020; 64:e01372-20. [PMID: 32816737 DOI: 10.1128/AAC.01372-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Praziquantel is currently the only drug available to treat schistosomiasis, a disease of enormous public health significance caused by a blood fluke of the genus Schistosoma Diminazene, a drug approved by the FDA, has been successfully used to treat diseases caused by blood protozoan parasites. In this study, we evaluated the antiparasitic properties of diminazene against Schistosoma mansoni ex vivo and in mice harboring either chronic or early S. mansoni infections. In vitro, we monitored phenotypic and tegumental changes as well as the effects of the drug on pairing and egg production. In mice infected with either adult (chronic infection) or immature (early infection) worms, diminazene was administered intraperitoneally (10 to 100 mg/kg of body weight) or by oral gavage (100 to 400 mg/kg), and we studied the influence of the drug on worm burden and egg production. Liver and spleen pathologies and serum aminotransferase levels were also analyzed. In vitro, 50% effective concentrations (EC50) and EC90 revealed that diminazene is able to kill both immature and adult parasites, and its effect was time and concentration dependent. In addition, confocal laser scanning microscopy showed morphological alterations in the teguments of schistosomes. In an animal model, the influence of the drug on worm burden, egg production, hepatomegaly, and splenomegaly depended on the dosing regimen applied and the route of administration. Diminazene also caused a significant reduction in aminotransferase levels. Comparatively, diminazene treatment was more effective in chronic infection than in early infection. In tandem, our study revealed that diminazene possesses anthelmintic properties and inhibits liver injury caused by Schistosoma eggs.
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Costa PDS, Zuza da Silva OO, Costa DS, Silva LAO, de Faria Pinto P, da Silva MPN, de Moraes J, Da Silva Filho AA. Assessment of the In Vitro Antischistosomal Activities of the Extracts and Compounds from Solidago Microglossa DC (Asteraceae) and Aristolochia Cymbifera Mart. & Zucc. (Aristolochiaceae). Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2020; 2020:1726365. [PMID: 33062001 DOI: 10.1155/2020/1726365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis, caused by helminth flatworms of the genus Schistosoma, is a neglected tropical disease that afflicts over 230 million people worldwide. Currently, treatment is achieved with only one drug, praziquantel (PZQ). In this regard, the roots of Solidago microglossa (Asteraceae) and Aristolochia cymbifera (Aristolochiaceae) are popularly used as anthelmintic. Despite their medicinal use against helminthiasis, such as schistosomiasis, A. cymbifera, and S. microglossa have not been evaluated against S. mansoni. Then, in this work, the in vitro antischistosomal activity of the crude extracts of A. cymbifera (Ac) and S. microglossa (Sm) and their isolated compounds were investigated against S. mansoni adult worms. Sm (200 μg/mL) and Ac (100–200 μg/mL) were lethal to all male and female worms at the 24 h incubation. In addition, Sm (10–50 μg/mL) and Ac (10 μg/mL) caused significant reduction in the parasite's movements, showing no significant cytotoxicity to Vero cells at the same range of schistosomicidal concentrations. Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that Sm and Ac caused tegumental damages and reduced the numbers of tubercles of male schistosomes. Chromatographic fractionation of Sm leads to isolation of bauerenol, α-amirin, and spinasterol, while populifolic acid, cubebin, 2-oxopopulifolic acid methyl ester, and 2-oxopopulifolic acid were isolated from Ac. At concentrations of 25–100 μM, bauerenol, α-amirin, spinasterol, populifolic acid, and cubebin showed significant impact on motor activity of S. mansoni. 2-oxopopulifolic acid methyl ester and 2-oxopopulifolic acid caused 100% mortality and decreased the motor activity of adult schistosomes at 100 μM. This study has reported, for the first time, the in vitro antischistosomal effects of S. microglossa and A. cymbifera extracts, also showing promising compounds against adult schistosomes.
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Govindammal M, Prasath M. Vibrational spectra, Hirshfeld surface analysis, molecular docking studies of (RS)-N,N-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1,3,2-oxazaphosphinan-2-amine 2-oxide by DFT approach. Heliyon 2020; 6:e04641. [PMID: 32904270 PMCID: PMC7452535 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The Cyclophosphamide (CYC) is used as an anti cancer agent. It is chemically known as (RS)-N,N-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1,3,2-oxazaphosphinan-2-amine 2-oxide. The vibrational assignments survey of the CYC was implemented by employing FT-IR and FT-Raman spectroscopic investigation and the results are compared with theoretical features. The optimized geometrical parameters, IR intensity and Raman Activity of the vibrational bands of CYC were determined from the B3LYP functional with 6-311++G (d, p) level of theory. In the current work, quantum chemical calculations were adopted to contemplate the vibrational assignments of CYC and the outcomes are compared with experimental findings. Molecular Electrostatic Potential (MEP) and HOMO-LUMO energies are very effective in the examination of charge transfer and distribution of the molecular structure. The molecular orbital contributions were evaluated by using the Total Density of States (TDOS). The analysis of Natural Bond Orbital (NBO), Mulliken population and Fukui function studies were done. Intermolecular interaction of the title compound was examined through Hirshfeld surface analysis. The evaluation of drug-likeness was accomplished in accordance with Lipinski's Rule of Five and molecular descriptors were utilized to predict the ADMET profiles of the CYC molecule. The recent research studies reports that the structural and bio-activity of the CYC was affirmed by the docking analysis of CYC with protein PI3K/AKT inhibitor, it acts as anti-lung cancer agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Govindammal
- Department of Physics, Periyar University PG Extension Centre, Dharmapuri, 636701, India
| | - M. Prasath
- Department of Physics, Periyar University PG Extension Centre, Dharmapuri, 636701, India
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Ravaynia PS, Lombardo FC, Biendl S, Dupuch MA, Keiser J, Hierlemann A, Modena MM. Parallelized Impedance-Based Platform for Continuous Dose-Response Characterization of Antischistosomal Drugs. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 4:e1900304. [PMID: 32510834 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.201900304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is an acute and chronic disease caused by tropical parasitic worms of the genus Schistosoma, which parasitizes annually over 200 million people worldwide. Screening of antischistosomal compounds is hampered by the low throughput and potential subjectivity of the visual evaluation of the parasite phenotypes, which affects the current drug assays. Here, an impedance-based platform, capable of assessing the viability of Schistosoma mansoni schistosomula exposed to drugs, is presented. This automated and parallelized platform enables unbiased and continuous measurements of dose-response relationships for more than 48 h. The platform performance is established by exposure of schistosomula to three test compounds, praziquantel, oxethazaine, and mefloquine, which are known to affect the larvae phenotypes. The system is thereafter used to investigate the response of schistosomula to methiothepine, an antipsychotic compound, which causes complex drug-induced effects. Continuous monitoring of the parasites reveals transient behavioral phenotypes and allows for extracting temporal characteristics of dose-response curves, which are essential for selecting drugs that feature high activity and fast kinetics of action. These measurements demonstrate that impedance-based detection provides a wealth of information for the in vitro characterization of candidate antischistosomals and, represents a promising tool for the identification of new lead compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo S Ravaynia
- Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, Basel, 4058, Switzerland
| | - Flavio C Lombardo
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, University of Basel, Socinstrasse 57, Basel, 4051, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Biendl
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, University of Basel, Socinstrasse 57, Basel, 4051, Switzerland
| | - Matthias A Dupuch
- Micro and Nanosystems, Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zürich, Tannenstrasse 3, Zurich, 8092, Switzerland
| | - Jennifer Keiser
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, University of Basel, Socinstrasse 57, Basel, 4051, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Hierlemann
- Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, Basel, 4058, Switzerland
| | - Mario M Modena
- Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, Basel, 4058, Switzerland
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Silva H, Aires A, Soares C, Sá J, Martins M, Albuquerque M, Silva T, Brayner F, Alves L, Melo A, Silva N. Barbatic acid from Cladia aggregata (lichen): Cytotoxicity and in vitro schistosomicidal evaluation and ultrastructural analysis against adult worms of Schistosoma mansoni. Toxicol In Vitro 2020; 65:104771. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2020.104771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Araújo HDA, Santos VHB, Brayner FA, Alves LC, Silva NH, Albuquerque MCPA, Aires AL, Lima VLM. In vitro activity of usnic acid potassium salt against different developmental stages of Schistosoma mansoni: An ultrastructural study. Acta Trop 2020; 201:105159. [PMID: 31491401 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Currently, the control of schistosomiasis is based on a single drug, praziquantel, which is effective against all species of Schistosoma but only in the adult stage, presenting a schistosomicidal deficit at the other developmental stages of the parasites. Recently our research group has demonstrated that the potassium salt of usnic acid (PS-UA) presented schistosomicidal property against couples of adult worms of S. mansoni. Thus, the present study seeks to report for the first time the in vitro activity of PS-UA against different developmental stages of S. mansoni (schistosomules and young worms). As schistosomicide parameters, we evaluated motility, mortality, cell viability of the worms and tegument changes by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). After 3 h exposure, PS-UA was lethal to schistosomules at concentrations of 100 and 50 μM, whereas for concentrations 25 and 12.5 μM, 38 and 18% of mortality and 62 and 24% changes in motility, respectively, were reached. Yet for schistosomules, concentration of 25 μM caused 90 and 100% of death after 6 and 12 h, respectively. In the concentration of 12.5 μM at intervals of 12 and 24 h mortality was 68 and 100%, respectively. For young worms, after 3 h of exposure at concentrations of 200 and 100 μM caused 57 and 27% mortality, respectively. After 12 and 24 h, these concentrations caused mortality of 90 and 100% and 47 and 60% respectively. After 24 h, concentrations of 50 and 25 μM caused 80 and 30% change in motility, respectively. However, at the 12.5 μM concentration no change was observed. In addition, PS-UA reduced the cellular viability of young worms by 50.98% and 85.87% at concentrations of 100 and 200 μM, respectively. In both stages of worms and at different exposure intervals, PS-UA caused alterations such as: dorsoventral contraction, peeling, swelling, blisters, erosion, exposure of subtegumental tissue and disintegration of tegument. According to the results, changes in motility and mortality caused by PS-UA against schistosomules and young worms were concentration and time-dependents, also PS-UA even at low concentration, was able to cause profound ultrastructural changes in the integument of the worms. PS-UA is a promising candidate as prophylactic agent in the control of schistosomiasis mansoni.
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Roquini DB, Cogo RM, Mengarda AC, Mazloum SF, Morais CS, Xavier RP, Salvadori MC, Teixeira FS, Ferreira LE, Pinto PL, Morais TR, de Moraes J. Promethazine exhibits antiparasitic properties in vitro and reduces worm burden, egg production, hepato-, and splenomegaly in a schistosomiasis animal model. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2019:AAC. [PMID: 31527034 DOI: 10.1128/AAC.01208-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The treatment and control of schistosomiasis, a neglected disease that affects more than 200 million people worldwide, rely on the use of a single drug, praziquantel. A vaccine has yet to be developed and since new drug design and development is a lengthy and costly process, drug repurposing is a promising strategy. In this study, the efficacy of promethazine, a first-generation antihistamine, was evaluated against Schistosoma mansoni ex vivo and in a murine model of schistosomiasis. In vitro assays demonstrated that promethazine affected parasite motility, viability, and it induced severe tegumental damage in schistosomes. The LC50 of the drug was 5.84 μM. Similar to promethazine, schistosomes incubated with atropine, a classical anticholinergic drug, displayed reduced motor activity. In an animal model, promethazine treatment was introduced at an oral dose of 100 mg/kg for five successive days at different intervals from the time of infection, for the evaluation of the stage-specific susceptibility (pre-patent and patent infections). Various parasitological criteria indicated the in vivo antischistosomal effects of promethazine: there were significant reductions in worm burden, egg production, and hepato- and splenomegaly. The highest worm burden reduction was achieved with promethazine in patent infections (> 90%). Taken together, considering the importance of the repositioning of drugs in infectious diseases, especially those related to poverty, our data revealed the possibility of promethazine repositioning as an antischistosomal agent.
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Rando DG, da Costa MO, Pavani TF, Oliveira T, dos Santos PF, Amorim CR, Pinto PL, de Brito MG, Silva MP, Roquini DB, de Moraes J. Vanillin-Related N-Acylhydrazones: Synthesis, Antischistosomal Properties and Target Fishing Studies. Curr Top Med Chem 2019; 19:1241-1251. [DOI: 10.2174/1568026619666190620163237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Revised: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Background:
Schistosomiasis is a neglected disease, which affects millions of people in developing
countries. Its treatment relies on a single therapeutic alternative, the praziquantel. This situation
may lead to drug resistance which, in turn, made urgent the need for new antischistosomal agents. Nacylhydrazones
are usually explored as good antimicrobial agents, but the vanillin-related N-acylhydrazones
have never been tested by their antiparasitic potential.
Objective:
Herein, we report the synthesis of seven analogues, three of them unpublished, their biological
investigation against Schistosoma mansoni and Target Fishing studies.
Methods:
The compounds were synthesized following classical synthetical approaches. The anthelmintic
potential was assessed as well as their cytotoxicity profile. Confocal laser scanning microscopy and target
fishing study were performed to better understand the observed antischistosomal activity.
Results:
Compound GPQF-407 exhibited good antischistosomal activity (47.91 µM) with suitable selectivity
index (4.14). Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that it triggered severe tegumental destruction
and tubercle disintegration. Target fishing studies pointed out some probable targets, such as the
serine-threonine kinases, dihydroorotate dehydrogenases and carbonic anhydrase II.
Conclusion:
The GPQF-407 was revealed to be a promising antischistosomal agent which, besides presenting
the N-acylhydrazone privileged scaffold, also could be easily synthesized on large scales from
commercially available materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela G.G. Rando
- Grupo de Pesquisas Quimico-Farmaceuticas, Instituto de Ciencias Ambientais, Quimicas e Farmaceuticas, Departamento de Ciencias Farmaceuticas, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Diadema, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcela O.L. da Costa
- Grupo de Pesquisas Quimico-Farmaceuticas, Instituto de Ciencias Ambientais, Quimicas e Farmaceuticas, Departamento de Ciencias Farmaceuticas, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Diadema, SP, Brazil
| | - Thais F.A. Pavani
- Grupo de Pesquisas Quimico-Farmaceuticas, Instituto de Ciencias Ambientais, Quimicas e Farmaceuticas, Departamento de Ciencias Farmaceuticas, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Diadema, SP, Brazil
| | - Thiago Oliveira
- Grupo de Pesquisas Quimico-Farmaceuticas, Instituto de Ciencias Ambientais, Quimicas e Farmaceuticas, Departamento de Ciencias Farmaceuticas, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Diadema, SP, Brazil
| | - Paloma F. dos Santos
- Grupo de Pesquisas Quimico-Farmaceuticas, Instituto de Ciencias Ambientais, Quimicas e Farmaceuticas, Departamento de Ciencias Farmaceuticas, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Diadema, SP, Brazil
| | - Carina R. Amorim
- Grupo de Pesquisas Quimico-Farmaceuticas, Instituto de Ciencias Ambientais, Quimicas e Farmaceuticas, Departamento de Ciencias Farmaceuticas, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Diadema, SP, Brazil
| | - Pedro L.S. Pinto
- Nucleo de Enteroparasitas, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Mariana G. de Brito
- Nucleo de Pesquisa em Doencas Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, Praca Tereza Cristina, 229, Centro, 07023-070, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcos P.N. Silva
- Nucleo de Pesquisa em Doencas Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, Praca Tereza Cristina, 229, Centro, 07023-070, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil
| | - Daniel B. Roquini
- Nucleo de Pesquisa em Doencas Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, Praca Tereza Cristina, 229, Centro, 07023-070, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil
| | - Josué de Moraes
- Nucleo de Pesquisa em Doencas Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, Praca Tereza Cristina, 229, Centro, 07023-070, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil
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Lago EM, Silva MP, Queiroz TG, Mazloum SF, Rodrigues VC, Carnaúba PU, Pinto PL, Rocha JA, Ferreira LLG, Andricopulo AD, de Moraes J. Phenotypic screening of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs identified mefenamic acid as a drug for the treatment of schistosomiasis. EBioMedicine 2019; 43:370-379. [PMID: 31027918 PMCID: PMC6557910 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.04.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Revised: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Treatment and control of schistosomiasis, one of the most insidious and serious parasitic diseases, depend almost entirely on a single drug, praziquantel. Since the funding for drug development for poverty-associated diseases is very limited, drug repurposing is a promising strategy. In this study, 73 nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) commonly used in medical and veterinary fields were evaluated for their anti-schistosomal properties. Methods The efficacy of NSAIDs was first tested against adult Schistosoma mansoni ex vivo using phenotypic screening strategy, effective drugs were further tested in a murine model of schistosomiasis. The disease parameters measured were worm and egg burden, hepato- and splenomegaly. Findings From 73 NSAIDs, five (mefenamic acid, tolfenamic acid, meclofenamic acid, celecoxib, and diclofenac) were identified to effectively kill schistosomes. These results were further supported by scanning electron microscopy analysis. In addition, the octanol-water partition coefficient, both for neutral and ionized species, revealed to be a critical property for the ex vivo activity profile. Compounds were then tested in vivo using both patent and a prepatent S. mansoni infection in a mouse model. The most effective NSAID was mefenamic acid, which highly reduced worm burden, egg production, and hepato- and splenomegaly. Interpretation The treatment regimen used in this study is within the range for which mefenamic acid has been used in clinical practice, thus, it is demonstrated the capacity of mefenamic acid to act as a potent anti-schistosomal agent suitable for clinical repurposing in the treatment of schistosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eloi M Lago
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases, University of Guarulhos, Praça Tereza Cristina, 229, Centro, 07023-070, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcos P Silva
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases, University of Guarulhos, Praça Tereza Cristina, 229, Centro, 07023-070, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil
| | - Talita G Queiroz
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases, University of Guarulhos, Praça Tereza Cristina, 229, Centro, 07023-070, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil
| | - Susana F Mazloum
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases, University of Guarulhos, Praça Tereza Cristina, 229, Centro, 07023-070, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil
| | - Vinícius C Rodrigues
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases, University of Guarulhos, Praça Tereza Cristina, 229, Centro, 07023-070, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil
| | - Paulo U Carnaúba
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases, University of Guarulhos, Praça Tereza Cristina, 229, Centro, 07023-070, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil
| | - Pedro L Pinto
- Center for Research in Parasitology, Adolfo Lutz Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Jefferson A Rocha
- Research Group of Natural Science and Biotechnology, Federal University of Maranhão, Grajaú, MA, Brazil
| | - Leonardo L G Ferreira
- Laboratory of Medicinal and Computational Chemistry, Center for Research and Innovation in Biodiversity and Drug Discovery, Physics Institute of Sao Carlos, University of Sao Paulo, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Adriano D Andricopulo
- Laboratory of Medicinal and Computational Chemistry, Center for Research and Innovation in Biodiversity and Drug Discovery, Physics Institute of Sao Carlos, University of Sao Paulo, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Josué de Moraes
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases, University of Guarulhos, Praça Tereza Cristina, 229, Centro, 07023-070, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil.
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Guerra RA, Silva MP, Silva TC, Salvadori MC, Teixeira FS, de Oliveira RN, Rocha JA, Pinto PLS, de Moraes J. In Vitro and In Vivo Studies of Spironolactone as an Antischistosomal Drug Capable of Clinical Repurposing. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2019; 63:e01722-18. [PMID: 30559137 DOI: 10.1128/AAC.01722-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a parasitic flatworm disease that infects over 200 million people worldwide, especially in poor communities. Treatment and control of the disease rely on just one drug, praziquantel. Since funding for drug development for poverty-associated diseases is very limited, drug repurposing is a promising strategy. In this study, from a screening of 13 marketed diuretics, we identified that spironolactone, a potassium-sparing diuretic, had potent antischistosomal effects on Schistosoma mansoni in vitro and in vivo in a murine model of schistosomiasis. In vitro, spironolactone at low concentrations (<10 µM) is able to alter worm motor activity and the morphology of adult schistosomes, leading to parasitic death. In vivo, oral treatment with spironolactone at a single dose (400 mg/kg) or daily for five consecutive days (100 mg/kg/day) in mice harboring either patent or prepatent infections significantly reduced worm burden, egg production, and hepato- and splenomegaly (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001). Taken together, with the safety profile of spironolactone, supported by its potential to affect schistosomes, these results indicate that spironolactone could be a potential treatment for schistosomiasis and make it promising for repurposing.
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Sathya B, Prasath M. Spectroscopic (FT-IR, FT-Raman, UV–Vis), quantum chemical calculation and molecular docking evaluation of liquiritigenin: an influenza A (H1N1) neuraminidase inhibitor. Res Chem Intermed 2019; 45:2135-66. [DOI: 10.1007/s11164-018-03727-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Gemma S, Federico S, Brogi S, Brindisi M, Butini S, Campiani G. Dealing with schistosomiasis: Current drug discovery strategies. Annual Reports in Medicinal Chemistry 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.armc.2019.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Pereira VRD, Junior IJA, da Silveira LS, Geraldo RB, de F Pinto P, Teixeira FS, Salvadori MC, Silva MP, Alves LA, Capriles PVSZ, das C Almeida A, Coimbra ES, Pinto PLS, Couri MRC, de Moraes J, Da Silva Filho AA. In Vitro and in Vivo Antischistosomal Activities of Chalcones. Chem Biodivers 2018; 15:e1800398. [PMID: 30276965 DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.201800398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we evaluated the in vitro and in vivo schistosomicidal activities of chalcones against Schistosoma mansoni worms. In vitro assays revealed that chalcones 1 and 3 were the most active compounds, without affecting significantly mammalian cells. Confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy studies revealed reduction on the numbers of tubercles and morphological alterations in the tegument of S. mansoni worms after in vitro incubation with chalcones 1 and 3. In a mouse model of schistosomiasis, the oral treatment (400 mg/kg) with chalcone 1 or 3 significantly caused a total worm burden reduction in mice. Chalcone 1 showed significant inhibition of the S. mansoni ATP diphosphohydrolase activity, which was corroborated by molecular docking studies. The results suggested that chalcones could be explored as lead compounds with antischistosomal properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinícius R D Pereira
- Faculdade de Farmácia, Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, R. José Lourenço Kelmer s/n, Campus Universitário, 36036-900, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil
| | - Ismael J Alves Junior
- Faculdade de Farmácia, Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, R. José Lourenço Kelmer s/n, Campus Universitário, 36036-900, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil
| | - Lígia S da Silveira
- Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil
| | - Reinaldo B Geraldo
- Faculdade de Farmácia, Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, R. José Lourenço Kelmer s/n, Campus Universitário, 36036-900, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil
| | - Priscila de F Pinto
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil
| | | | - Maria C Salvadori
- Instituto de Física, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcos P Silva
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil
| | - Lara A Alves
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Modelagem Computacional, Departamento de Ciência da Computação, ICE, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil
| | - Priscila V S Z Capriles
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Modelagem Computacional, Departamento de Ciência da Computação, ICE, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil
| | - Ayla das C Almeida
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil
| | - Elaine S Coimbra
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil
| | - Pedro L S Pinto
- Núcleo de Enteroparasitas, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Mara R C Couri
- Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil
| | - Josué de Moraes
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Doenças Negligenciadas, Universidade Guarulhos, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil
| | - Ademar A Da Silva Filho
- Faculdade de Farmácia, Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, R. José Lourenço Kelmer s/n, Campus Universitário, 36036-900, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil
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Rocha JA, Rego NCS, Carvalho BTS, Silva FI, Sousa JA, Ramos RM, Passos ING, de Moraes J, Leite JRSA, Lima FCA. Computational quantum chemistry, molecular docking, and ADMET predictions of imidazole alkaloids of Pilocarpus microphyllus with schistosomicidal properties. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0198476. [PMID: 29944674 PMCID: PMC6019389 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis affects million people and its control is widely dependent on a single drug, praziquantel. Computational chemistry has led to the development of new tools that predict molecular properties related to pharmacological potential. We conducted a theoretical study of the imizadole alkaloids of Pilocarpus microphyllus (Rutaceae) with schistosomicidal properties. The molecules of epiisopiloturine, epiisopilosine, isopilosine, pilosine, and macaubine were evaluated using theory models (B3lyp/SDD, B3lyp/6-31+G(d,p), B3lyp/6-311++G(d,p)). Absorption, distribution, metabolization, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) predictions were used to determine the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of the alkaloids. After optimization, the molecules were submitted to molecular docking calculations with the purine nucleoside phosphorylase, thioredoxin glutathione reductase, methylthioadenosine phosphorylase, arginase, uridine phosphorylase, Cathepsin B1 and histone deacetylase 8 enzymes, which are possible targets of Schistosoma mansoni. The results showed that B3lyp/6-311++G(d,p) was the optimal model to describe the properties studied. Thermodynamic analysis showed that epiisopiloturine and epiisopilosine were the most stable isomers; however, the epiisopilosine ligand achieved a superior interaction with the enzymes studied in the molecular docking experiments, which corroborated the results of previous experimental studies on schistosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jefferson A. Rocha
- The Postgraduate Program of the Northeast Network of Biotechnology, RENORBIO, Focal Point UFPI, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
- Research Group in Natural Sciences and Biotechnology, Federal University of Maranhão, CIENATEC / UFMA, Grajaú, MA, Brazil
- Research Group in Computational Quantum Chemistry & Pharmaceutical Planning, State University of Piauí, GPQQ&PF / UESPI, Teresina, PI, Brazil
| | - Nayra C. S. Rego
- The Postgraduate Program of the Northeast Network of Biotechnology, RENORBIO, Focal Point UFPI, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
- Research Group in Computational Quantum Chemistry & Pharmaceutical Planning, State University of Piauí, GPQQ&PF / UESPI, Teresina, PI, Brazil
| | - Bruna T. S. Carvalho
- Research Group in Computational Quantum Chemistry & Pharmaceutical Planning, State University of Piauí, GPQQ&PF / UESPI, Teresina, PI, Brazil
| | - Francisco I. Silva
- Research Group in Computational Quantum Chemistry & Pharmaceutical Planning, State University of Piauí, GPQQ&PF / UESPI, Teresina, PI, Brazil
| | - Jose A. Sousa
- Research Group in Computational Quantum Chemistry & Pharmaceutical Planning, State University of Piauí, GPQQ&PF / UESPI, Teresina, PI, Brazil
| | - Ricardo M. Ramos
- Research Laboratory in Information Systems, Department of Information, Environment, Health and Food Production, Federal Institute of Piauí, LAPESI / IFPI, Teresina, PI, Brazil
| | - Ionara N. G. Passos
- Research Group in Natural Sciences and Biotechnology, Federal University of Maranhão, CIENATEC / UFMA, Grajaú, MA, Brazil
| | - Josué de Moraes
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases, Guarulhos University, NPDN / UNG, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil
| | - Jose R. S. A. Leite
- Area Morphology, Faculty of Medicine, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, University of Brasília, UnB, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Francisco C. A. Lima
- The Postgraduate Program of the Northeast Network of Biotechnology, RENORBIO, Focal Point UFPI, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
- Research Group in Computational Quantum Chemistry & Pharmaceutical Planning, State University of Piauí, GPQQ&PF / UESPI, Teresina, PI, Brazil
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