The effect of bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids on Trypanosoma cruzi infections in mice.
Five bisbenzylisoquinoline (BBI) alkaloids, curine, cycleanine, isotet:andrine, limacine and pheanthine were tested for trypanocidal activity in C 3H He mice infected with Y or CL strain of Trypanosoma cruzi. The activity was compared with the baseline drug, benznidazole. Oral treatment was more effective with curine at 10 mg/kg or with cycleanine at 2 mg/kg daily for 10 days in mice infected with Y or CL strain. In these groups, the parasitemias were negative after 5-7 weeks after inoculation and mortality time 50 (MT(50)) was significantly higher than untreated mice. Benznidazole was effective in mice infected with CL strain but not in mice infected with Y strain. The other BBI showed a relative efficacy against both strains. The effect of BBI alkaloids could be due to a blocking of the Ca2+ channel for the regulation of T. cruzi infectivity to invade host cells or their selective immunosuppressive properties.
Fournet
A
A
ORSTOM (Institut Français de Recherche Scientifique pour le Développement en Coopération) Casilla de Correo 97, Asunción, Paraguay.
Ferreira
M E
ME
de Arias
A R
AR
Schinini
A
A
Nakayama
H
H
Torres
S
S
Sanabria
R
R
Guinaudeau
H
H
Bruneton
J
J