title: Soulamarin isolated from Calophyllum brasiliense (Clusiaceae) induces plasma membrane permeabilization of Trypanosoma cruzi and mytochondrial dysfunction.
abstract: Chagas disease is caused by the parasitic protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. It has high mortality as well as morbidity rates and usually affects the poorer sections of the population. The development of new, less harmful and more effective drugs is a promising research target, since current standard treatments are highly toxic and administered for long periods. Fractioning of methanol (MeOH) extract of the stem bark of Calophyllum brasiliense (Clusiaceae) resulted in the isolation of the coumarin soulamarin, which was characterized by one- and two-dimensional (1)H- and (13)C NMR spectroscopy as well as ESI mass spectrometry. All data obtained were consistent with a structure of 6-hydroxy-4-propyl-5-(3-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-oxobutyl)-6″,6″-dimethylpyrane-[2″,3″:8,7]-benzopyran-2-one for soulamarin. Colorimetric MTT assays showed that soulamarin induces trypanocidal effects, and is also active against trypomastigotes. Hemolytic activity tests showed that soulamarin is unable to induce any observable damage to erythrocytes (cmax. = 1,300 µM). The lethal action of soulamarin against T. cruzi was investigated by using amino(4-(6-(amino(iminio)methyl)-1H-indol-2-yl)phenyl)methaniminium chloride (SYTOX Green and 1H,5H,11H,15H-Xantheno[2,3,4-ij:5,6,7-i'j']diquinolizin-18-ium, 9-[4-(chloromethyl)phenyl]-2,3,6,7,12,13,16,17-octahydro-chloride (MitoTracker Red) as fluorimetric probes. With the former, soulamarin showed dose-dependent permeability of the plasma membrane, relative to fully permeable Triton X-100-treated parasites. Spectrofluorimetric and fluorescence microscopy with the latter revealed that soulamarin also induced a strong depolarization (ca. 97%) of the mitochondrial membrane potential. These data demonstrate that the lethal action of soulamarin towards T. cruzi involves damages to the plasma membrane of the parasite and mitochondrial dysfunction without the additional generation of reactive oxygen species, which may have also contributed to the death of the parasites. Considering the unique mitochondrion of T. cruzi, secondary metabolites of plants affecting the bioenergetic system as soulamarin may contribute as scaffolds for the design of novel and selective drug candidates for neglected diseases, mainly Chagas disease.
authors: Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Diadema, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Alexandre
authors: A
authors: Rea
authors: Andre G
authors: AG
authors: Tempone
authors: Erika G
authors: EG
authors: Pinto
authors: Juliana T
authors: JT
authors: Mesquita
authors: Eliana
authors: E
authors: Rodrigues
authors: Luciana Grus M
authors: LG
authors: Silva
authors: Patricia
authors: P
authors: Sartorelli
authors: João Henrique G
authors: JH
authors: Lago
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D029759:Calophyllum / Q000737:chemistry*; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003374:Coumarins / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D024301:Plant Bark / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D003374:Coumarins; D010936:Plant Extracts