N-acetyl-L: -cysteine reduces the parasitism of BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania amazonensis.
Leishmania amazonensis infection leads to progressive diseases in a majority of inbred strains of mice. Glutathione (GSH) participates in a large number of cellular phenomena and seems to be essential for several immune functions, including host defense during leishmaniasis. In this study, we evaluated the effects of N-acetyl-L: -cysteine (NAC), as GSH supplement, on the course of L. amazonensis infection in susceptible BALB/c mice. The treatment with NAC (200 mg/kg daily) was effective in raising GSH levels in both lymph node and spleen cells. Although this treatment did not change the footpad swelling development in L. amazonensis-infected mice, it caused a significant decrease in the number of parasites recovered from the footpad lesion and draining popliteal lymph node. Our data suggest that intracellular Leishmania killing in vivo was improved by the augment of GSH levels through NAC administration.
Monteiro
Marta Chagas
MC
Departamento de Farmácia, CENTRO POLITECNIO/UNICENTRO, Av. Simeão Camargo Varela de Sá, 03, Guarapuava, PR CEP: 85040-080, Brasil. martachagas2@yahoo.com.br
Marques
Fúlvia Carina Souza
FC
Blazius
Renê Darela
RD
Santos da Silva
Onilda
O
de Queiroz Cunha
Fernando
F
Bento
Diana Bittencourt
DB
Torres Romão
Pedro Roosevelt
PR
D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism*; D007891:Leishmania / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013154:Spleen / Q000378:metabolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D005978:Glutathione; D000111:Acetylcysteine