Trypanocidal effect of quinones coupled to steroids and terpenoids and their derivatives obtained from plants.

LOZANO E, ; PALERMO JA; VEGA I; SOSA MA

San Juan

Congreso; 2° Reunión Científica Conjunta de las Sociedades de Biología de Argentina; 2011

Sociedad de Biologia de Cuyo

Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas disease. When cultured, this parasite cycles between epimastigote form and a low percentage is transformed into the infective form trypomastigote. We have found that quinones coupled to steroid and terpene residue, obtained from native plants, such as secochiliolilquinone (PQ) and, to a lesser extent, secochiliolihidroquinone (PHQ) affect the growth of epimastigotes at low concentrations. To identify the active groups of these compounds, in the present study we evaluated the effect of different derivatives on T. cruzi.. Epimastigotes (Dm28C strain) were cultured in Diamond liquid media, in the presence or in the absence of different concentrations (1-10 μg/ml) of the compounds. Among the compounds tested, PPBuC, PPU, PPAZ and, to a lesser extent PPQ, PPHQ and PPdL showed antiproliferative effects on parasites. As a continuation of this work, it will be determined the minimum lethal dose for each compound and try to elucidate the molecular targets, and assess the toxicity to mammalian cells..