Isolation of an antiprotozoal flavonoid from Stevia satureiifolia var. satureiifolia

BEER MF; LAURELLA L; ELSO O; FRANK F; MARTINO V; ALONSO MR; CAZORLA S; MALCHIODI E; SÜLSEN V

Mar del Plata

Congreso; X Congreso Argentino de Protozoología y Enfermedades Parasitarias; 2014

Sociedad Agentina de Protozoologia

Parasitic diseases such as Chagas´ disease and Leishmaniasis, affect millions of people mainly in developing countries. These parasitosis are part of a group of diseases considered neglected, abandoned and poverty-related. Drugs available to treat these protozoal diseases have limitations due to adverse effects, emerging resistance and lack of effectivity. Taking in account this problem and the previous isolation of a trypanocidal flavonoid from Stevia satureiifolia var. satureiifolia organic extract, the aim of this work was to isolate other bioactive compounds that may be present in this species. The organic extract of S. satureiifolia was subjected to a bioassay-guided fractionation. From one of the most active fraction (F2), a compound (compound 1) was isolated. Compound 1 was evaluated against T. cruzi and L. braziliensis. This compound was active against epimastigotes and trypomastigotes of T. cruzi with IC50 values of 0.65 µg/ml and 58.79 µg/ml, respectively. When compound 1 was tested on promastigotes of L. braziliensis, it showed an IC50 value of 6.77 µg/ml. This compound showed no toxicity to mammalian cells. Chromatographic behavior and UV analysis indicated that compound 1 could be a 5-hydroxy-tetra substituted flavone. Further analyses are being conducted in order to complete the identification of compound 1 and to determine its effects on the intracellular forms of the parasites.