1
|
Sirak B, Asres K, Hailu A, Dube M, Arnold N, Häberli C, Keiser J, Imming P. In Vitro Antileishmanial and Antischistosomal Activities of Anemonin Isolated from the Fresh Leaves of Ranunculus multifidus Forsk. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26247473. [PMID: 34946555 PMCID: PMC8703683 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26247473] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis and schistosomiasis are neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) infecting the world’s poorest populations. Effectiveness of the current antileishmanial and antischistosomal therapies are significantly declining, which calls for an urgent need of new effective and safe drugs. In Ethiopia fresh leaves of Ranunculus multifidus Forsk. are traditionally used for the treatment of various ailments including leishmaniasis and eradication of intestinal worms. In the current study, anemonin isolated from the fresh leaves of R. multifidus was assessed for its in vitro antileishmanial and antischistosomal activities. Anemonin was isolated from the hydro-distilled extract of the leaves of R. multifidus. Antileishmanial activity was assessed on clinical isolates of the promastigote and amastigote forms of Leishmania aethiopica and L. donovani clinical isolates. Resazurin reduction assay was used to determine antipromastigote activity, while macrophages were employed for antiamastigote and cytotoxicity assays. Antischistosomal assays were performed against adult Schistosoma mansoni and newly transformed schistosomules (NTS). Anemonin displayed significant antileishmanial activity with IC50 values of 1.33 nM and 1.58 nM against promastigotes and 1.24 nM and 1.91 nM against amastigotes of L. aethiopica and L. donovani, respectively. It also showed moderate activity against adult S. mansoni and NTS (49% activity against adult S. mansoni at 10 µM and 41% activity against NTS at 1 µM). The results obtained in this investigation indicate that anemonin has the potential to be used as a template for designing novel antileishmanial and antischistosomal pharmacophores.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Betelhem Sirak
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa P.O. Box 1176, Ethiopia;
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch P.O. Box 21, Ethiopia
| | - Kaleab Asres
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa P.O. Box 1176, Ethiopia;
- Correspondence: (K.A.); (P.I.)
| | - Asrat Hailu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa P.O. Box 1176, Ethiopia;
| | - Mthandazo Dube
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Weinberg 3, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; (M.D.); (N.A.)
| | - Norbert Arnold
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Weinberg 3, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; (M.D.); (N.A.)
| | - Cecile Häberli
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstr. 57, CH-4051 Basel, Switzerland; (C.H.); (J.K.)
- University of Basel, CH-4051 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jennifer Keiser
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstr. 57, CH-4051 Basel, Switzerland; (C.H.); (J.K.)
- University of Basel, CH-4051 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Peter Imming
- Institut fuer Pharmazie, Martin-Luther-Universitaet Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
- Correspondence: (K.A.); (P.I.)
| |
Collapse
|