Effects of Tessaria absinthiodes (HOOK. & ARN.) DC. (Asteraceae). aqueous extract againts Leishmania amazonensis on a murine model.

TRONCOSO ME; GERMANÓ MJ; GARCIA BUSTOS MF; ARRIETA VJ; GAMARRA LUQUES C; CARGNELUTTI DE; LOZANO E

Mendoza

Congreso; XXXIX Reunión Anual de la Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo.; 2021

Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo

The leishmaniasis is the spectrum of diseases caused by the infection with protozoal pathogens of the genus Leishmania, with an estimated 2 million cases per year. Leishmania parasites are transmitted to mammalian host through the bite of an infected sand fly. The clinical forms of the disease (cutaneous, mucocutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis) depend on the Leishmania species involved. In Argentina, it affects the northern region of the country with an incidence that has increased in the last two decades. Current treatments for leishmaniasis are unsatisfactory due to the associated high toxicity, cost, complex administration, and the emergence of the resistant strains. Efforts have increased considerably in the last decade to identify new compounds with anti-leishmanial properties. Therefore, a strategy in the search for new alternative is the detection of molecules from plant sources. The are more than five hundred species of plants in the province of Mendoza, in the central west of Argentina, for wich ?folk? medicine has escribed various uses to preserve and help health. Tessaria absinthioides (Ta) has been used as hypocholesterolemic, balsamic, and expectorant to treat renal insufficiency, diabetes and digestive disorders. Recent studies have confirmed its biological activities against different microorganisms. The aqueous extract (AE) has been shown to be non-toxic in experimental animals. We evaluate the effect of TaAE in an in vivo model of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Male BALB/c mice were infected in the right paw pad with 1x105 L. amazonensis promastigotes treated with TaAE 300mg/animal/day administered orally in the drinking water ad libitum. We observed that the treatment with TaAE diminished the swelling of the infection site compared to the mice treated with Glucantime, used as a positive treatment control. These results are related to the significant decrease in parasite load, splenic index and observed IgG levels. Although other test need to be done, TaAE may be effective to treat cutaneous leishmaniasis.