title: In vitro investigation of Brazilian Cerrado plant extract activity against Plasmodium falciparum, Trypanosoma cruzi and T. brucei gambiense.
abstract: The threatened Brazilian Cerrado biome is an important biodiversity hotspot but still few explored that constitutes a potential reservoir of molecules to treat infectious diseases. We selected eight Cerrado plant species for screening against the erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum, human intracellular stages of Trypanosoma cruzi and bloodstream forms of T. brucei gambiense, and for their cytotoxicity upon the rat L6-myoblast cell line. Bioassays were performed with 37 hexane, ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts prepared from different plant organs. Activities against parasites were observed for 24 extracts: 9 with anti-P. falciparum, 4 with anti-T. cruzi and 11 with anti-T. brucei gambiense activities. High anti-protozoal activity (IC50 values < 10 μg/mL) without obvious cytotoxicity to L6 cells was observed for eight extracts from plants: Connarus suberosus, Blepharocalyx salicifolius, Psidium laruotteanum and Myrsine guianensis. Overall, studies of plant extracts will contribute to increase the biodiversity knowledge essential for Cerrado conservation and sustainable development.
authors.affiliation: a Laboratório de Bioquímica e Química de proteínas, Departamento de Biologia Celular , Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília , Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, 70910-900 Brasília , DF , Brazil.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Charneau
authors.affiliation: b Laboratório de Farmacognosia , Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Brasília , Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, 70910-900 Brasília , DF , Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana Laundry
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: de Mesquita
authors.affiliation: c Laboratório de Interação Patógeno-Hospedeiro, Departamento de Biologia Celular , Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília , Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, 70910-900 Brasília , DF , Brazil.
authors.forename: Izabela Marques Dourado
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Bastos
authors.affiliation: c Laboratório de Interação Patógeno-Hospedeiro, Departamento de Biologia Celular , Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília , Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, 70910-900 Brasília , DF , Brazil.
authors.forename: Jaime Martins
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Santana
authors.affiliation: d Laboratório de Anatomia Vegetal, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas , Universidade de Brasília , Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, 70910-900 Brasília , DF , Brazil.
authors.forename: José Elias
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: de Paula
authors.affiliation: e Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle , UMR 7245 CNRS - Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Micro-organismes , CP52, 61 rue Buffon , 75231 Paris Cedex 05 , France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grellier
authors.affiliation: b Laboratório de Farmacognosia , Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Brasília , Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, 70910-900 Brasília , DF , Brazil.
authors.forename: Laila Salmen
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Espindola
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D044822:Biodiversity; D001938:Brazil; D002460:Cell Line; D017753:Ecosystem; D065948:Grassland; D006801:Humans; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D014347:Trypanosoma brucei gambiense / Q000187:drug effects; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Brazilian Cerrado; Chagas disease; Connarus suberosus; anti-protozoal activity; malaria; sleeping sickness