Trypanocidal activity of extracts of Argentinean Asteraceae species

SELENER M; CAZORLA S; ELSO O; FRANK F; BEER MF; LAURELLA L; MALCHIODI E; GIBERTI G; MARTINO V; SÜLSEN V

Talca

Congreso; 14th International Congress of Ethnopharmacology. VIII Simposio Internacional de Química de Productos Naturales y sus Aplicaciones; 2014

División de Química de Productos Naturales - Sociedad Chilena De Química

Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is a serious health problem mainly in Latin America. According to the World Health Organization, this parasitosis affects 7-8 millions people worldwide [1]. Treatment is limited to two drugs, nifurtimox and benznidazole, that are effective only on acute Chagas´ disease and have serious side effects. Natural products have provided useful drugs that are used nowaday to treat different pains. Asteraceae species have been a rich source of active compounds and have been attractive for drug discovey. In this sense, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the trypanocidal activity of dicloromethane and methanolic extracts of twelve Argentinean Asteraceae species on epimastigotes of T. cruzi (RA strain). Dicloromethane extracts of Aspilia sulphioides, Viguiera tuberosa, Verbesina subcordata, Gymnocoronis spilanthoides, Gaillardia megapotamica, Thelesperma megapotamicum and Zexmenia buphtalmiflora were active against T. cruzi with inhibitions higher than 60% at a concentration of 10 µg/ml. Only the methanolic extracts of Helenium radiatum and G. megapotamica have shown trypanocidal activity (inhibitions of 70.1 and 77.7%, respectively at 10 µg/ml). These results encourage further investigation of Asteraceae species as source of lead molecules for Chagas´ disease.