title: Remarkable anti-trichomonas vaginalis activity of plants traditionally used by the Mbyá-Guarani indigenous group in Brazil.
abstract: Trichomonas vaginalis, a flagellate protozoan, is the causative agent of trichomonosis, the most common nonviral sexually transmitted disease worldwide. Taking into account the increased prevalence of metronidazole-resistant isolates, alternative drugs are essential for the successful treatment. Natural products are the source of most new drugs, and popular wisdom about the use of medicinal plants is a powerful tool in this search. In this study, the activity of 10 medicinal plants extensively used in daily life by Mbyá-Guarani indigenous group was evaluated against seven different T. vaginalis isolates. Among the aqueous extracts tested, Verbena sp. (Guachu ka'a in Mbyá-Guarani language) and Campomanesia xanthocarpa (Guavira in Mbyá-Guarani language) showed the highest activity against T. vaginalis with MIC value of 4.0 mg/mL reaching 100% of efficacy against the parasite. The kinetic growth assays showed that the extracts promoted complete growth abolishment after 4 h of incubation. In addition, the extracts tested did not promote a significant hemolytic activity against human erythrocytes. Our results show for the first time the potential activity of Verbena sp. and C. xanthocarpa against T. vaginalis. In addition, this study demonstrates that indigenous knowledge is an important source of new prototype antiprotozoal agents.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Ipiranga 2752, 90610-000 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Clara Lia Costa
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Brandelli
authors.forename: Patrícia de Brum
authors.initials: Pde B
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: Alexandre José
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Macedo
authors.forename: Tiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tasca
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D044382:Population Groups; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts