title: Cytotoxicity of prodigiosin and benznidazole on V79 cells.
abstract: The cytotoxicity of prodigiosin, an antibiotic and potential trypanocide produced by Serratia marcescens, and Benznidazole, a trypanocidal drug, were assayed on V79 fibroblast cell line. Three independent endpoints for cytotoxicity were evaluated; namely, the nucleic acid content (NAC), MTT reduction and neutral red uptake (NRU). IC(50) values of 1-20 microM were obtained for prodigiosin in the NRU, MTT and NAC tests. Prodigiosin had greater trypanocidal activity (IC(50)=5 microM) than Nifurtimox (IC(50)=150 microM) a known trypanocide drug used in Chagas' disease therapy. Benznidazole was less toxic (IC(50)=2000 microM) than prodigiosin (IC(50)=1-20 microM) in V79 cells based on the MTT and NAC assays. Benznidazole stimulated the NRU until 2 mM. Indeed, the cell viability measured with the NRU was higher at all concentrations of benznidazole tested than that measured by MTT reduction and NAC assays.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), CP 6110, 13081-970 SP, Campinas, Brazil. psmelo@unicamp.br
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: da Silva Melo
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Durán
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D009593:Nitroimidazoles / Q000633:toxicity*; D011353:Prodigiosin / Q000633:toxicity*; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D009593:Nitroimidazoles; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents; D011353:Prodigiosin; C009999:benzonidazole