title: Leishmanicidal, cytotoxicity and wound healing potential of Arrabidaea chica Verlot.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Leishmaniasis includes a wide complex of diseases that affect humans and other mammals, and can range from a mild cutaneous form to a severe visceral type. The safety of the standard treatment using pentavalent antimony is a concern due to its toxic effects. The search for alternative, effective and less toxic treatments has led to the testing of natural products. The present study aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic, leishmanicidal and healing potential of Arrabidaea chica.
  
  
  METHODS
  The crude ethanolic extract, as well as the chloroform, methanol and ethyl acetate fractions of A. chica were prepared and phytochemical analysis was performed. Cytotoxic evaluation was carried out through MTT colorimetric assay, and the 50% cellular cytotoxicity was determined. After that, the effect of the extract and fractions against Leishmania amazonensis promastigotes, at intervals of 24, 48 and 72 h, was analyzed, and 50% inhibitory concentration was determined. The healing effect of the plant was also tested in surgical lesions in Swiss mice skin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Phytochemical screening showed that the crude extracts contained flavonoids, tannins, anthocyanidins and chalcones. The leishmanicidal potential of A. chica produced satisfactory results in concentrations of between 60 and 155.9 μg/mL. Cytotoxic assay revealed a 50% reduction in viable cells at a concentration of 189.9 μg/mL. The healing results indicated that the treated group exhibited more pronounced signs of lesion resolution in the early period, but this pattern did not persist throughout the treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study demonstrate that A. chica has cytotoxic and leishmanicidal potential but its healing effect must be better studied.
authors.affiliation: Rede Nordeste de Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís, Brazil. joicyvet@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Joicy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cortez de Sá
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunomodulação e Protozoologia, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. feal84@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Almeida-Souza
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação Mestrado em Ciência Animal, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís, Brazil. re_mondego@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mondêgo-Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Rede Nordeste de Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís, Brazil. iaraoliveirass@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Iara Dos Santos da Silva
authors.initials: Idos S
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação Mestrado em Ciência Animal, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís, Brazil. lyahlamarck@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Lyah
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lamarck
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação Mestrado em Ciência Animal, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís, Brazil. isadoradefatimamagalhaes@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Isadora de Fátima Braga
authors.initials: Ide F
authors.lastname: Magalhães
authors.affiliation: Curso de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís, Brazil. aaraofilipe@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Aarão Filipe
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Ataídes-Lima
authors.affiliation: Curso de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís, Brazil. trogih@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Higor da Silva
authors.initials: Hda S
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Rede Nordeste de Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís, Brazil. abreusilva.ana@gmail.com.|Programa de Pós-Graduação Mestrado em Ciência Animal, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís, Brazil. abreusilva.ana@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ana Lucia
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Abreu-Silva
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029402:Bignoniaceae; D005260:Female; D007894:Leishmania mexicana / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts