Leishmanicidal evaluation of tetrahydroprotoberberine and spirocyclic erythrina-alkaloids

• Published in: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 19; no. 5; pp. 5692 - 5703
• Main Authors: Callejon, Daniel R, Riul, Thalita B, Feitosa, Luis G P, Guaratini, Thais, Silva, Denise B, Adhikari, Achyut, Shrestha, Ram L S, Marques, Lucas M M, Baruffi, Marcelo D, Lopes, João L C, Lopes, Norberto P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI 05.05.2014; MDPI AG
• Subjects: Alkaloids - chemistry; Berberine Alkaloids - administration & dosage; Berberine Alkaloids - chemistry; Cell Line; Corydalis govaniana; Erythrina - chemistry; Erythrina verna; Humans; Leishmania - drug effects; Leishmania - parasitology; Leishmania amazonensis; Leishmaniasis - drug therapy; Leishmaniasis - parasitology; Macrophages - drug effects; Macrophages - pathology; Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; Plant Extracts - administration & dosage; Plant Extracts - chemistry; spirocyclic erythrina-alkaloids; tetrahydro-protoberberine-type alkaloids
• ISSN: 1420-3049; 1420-3049
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules19055692

Leishmaniasis is one of the World's most problematic diseases in developing countries. Traditional medicines to treat leishmaniasis have serious side effects, as well as significant parasite resistance problems. In this work, two alkaloids 1 and 2 were obtained from Corydalis govaniana Wall and seven alkaloids 3-9, were obtained from Erythrina verna. The structures of the compounds were confirmed by mass spectrometry and 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopy. The leishmanicidal activity of compounds 1-9 against Leishmania amazonensis was tested on promastigote forms and cytotoxicity against J774 (macrophage cell line) was assessed in vitro. Compound 1 showed potent activity (IC50 = 0.18 µg/mL), compared with the standard amphotericin B (IC50 = 0.20 µg/mL). The spirocyclic erythrina-alkaloids showed lower leishmanicidal activity than dibenzoquinolizine type alkaloids.