Effects of Tessaria absinthioides (Hook. & Arn.) DC. (Asteraceae) aqueous extract against Leishmania amazonensis on a murine model

TRONCOSO M.; GERMANÓ, MJ; GARCÍA BUSTOS, MARÍA FERNANDA; ARRIETA, V.; GAMARRA LUQUES, C; CARGNELUTTI, DE.; LOZANO, E.

San Luis

Congreso; XXXIV Reunión Científica Anual de la Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo; 2021

Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo

The leishmaniasis are a spectrum of diseases caused by infection with protozoal pathogens of the genus Leishmania, with an estimated 2 million new cases per year. Leishmania parasites are transmitted to a 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 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 compounds is the detection of purified molecules from plant sources. There are more than five hundred species of plants in the province of Mendoza, in the central west of Argentina, for which "folk medicine" has described various uses to preserve and help health. Tessaria absinthioides (Ta) has been used as a hypocholesterolemic, balsamic, and expectorant to treat renal insuciency, 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 evaluated the effect of TaAE in an in vivo model of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Male BALB/c mice were infected in the right hind paw pad with 1x105 L. amazonensis promastigotes and treated with TaAE 300 mg/animal/day administered orally in the drinking water, ad libitum. We observed that the treatment with the aqueous extract diminishes the swelling of the infection site compared to the mice treated with Glucantime, which was used as a positive treatment control. This is related to the significant decrease in parasite load, splenic index, and observed IgG levels. Although many more tests need to be done, TaAE may be effective to treat cutaneous leishmaniasis. Resumen en prensa, aceptado para ser presentado en la Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo 2021.