The effect of natural compounds on cultured Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes

V. JIMENEZ-ORTIZ; A.M. SANCHEZ; T. SARTOR; M.H. BURGOS; O. GIORDANO; M.A. SOSA

Mendoza, Argentina

Congreso; XXI Annual Scientific Meeting. Cuyo Biology Society; 2003

SOCIEDAD BIOLOGIA DE CUYO

Trypanosoma cruzi is a flagellate protozoan that causes Chagas´disease. This parasite develops its life cycle between hematophage insect (Trialoma infestans) as intermediate vector, and mammals as definitive hosts, included man. Various trypanocidal substances have been used against the parasite, many of which were isolated from plants. In our laboratory we developed a miniculture of T.cruzi epimatigotes in order to study the biological effect of purified compounds from plant leaves. Three sesquiterpene lactones have been extensively studied on the growth and vitality of parasites and found that dehydroleucctiine (DhL) inhibited cell proliferation at concentrations between 1-2.5 ug/ml, whilst mexicanin and helenalin were deleterious at (hose concentrations. We also found that DhL affects the cell cycle of the parasites mostly on the phase S, although an effect on phase G2 was also described. Recently, we have found that the hydroxylated quinone icetexane is also cytostatic on T. cru-i epimastigotes, and mostly affects phase S on the cell cycle of the parasites. We are currently continuing these studies to elucidate the molecular bases of the cytostatic effect of DhL and Icetexane.