title: Inhibitory effects of Zanthoxylum rhoifolium Lam. (Rutaceae) against the infection and infectivity of macrophages by Leishmania amazonensis.
abstract: Zanthoxylum rhoifolium Lam. (Rutaceae) has been traditionally used in the treatment of microbial infections and parasitic diseases. In the present study, the antileishmanial effect induced by the ethanol extract of stem barks from Z. rhoifolium (ZR-EEtOH) and its n-hexane fraction (ZR-FHEX) on infection and infectivity of murine macrophages by promastigote forms of Leishmania amazonensis were investigated. In different set of experiments, macrophages or promastigotes were pretreated with ZR-EEtOH or ZR-FHEX at non-lethal concentrations for 24 hours, and then macrophages were submitted to infection by promastigotes. Moreover, their effects on activation of macrophages, as well as on the DNA content, size and number of promastigotes by flow cytometry were also evaluated. The infection rate and the number of internalized amastigote forms were markedly decreased after pretreatment of macrophages or promastigotes when compared with non-treated cells. The increase in phagocytic capability and nitrite content was also observed. Furthermore, the decrease of DNA content, size and number of promastigotes was also observed. In conclusion, ZR-EEtOH and ZR-FHEX promoted a markedly significant antileishmanial effect and reduction of infection of macrophages, probably underlying defense mechanisms activation in macrophages. These findings reinforce the potential application of Z. rhoifolium in the treatment of leishmaniasis.
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisas em Plantas Medicinais, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Campus Ministro Petrônio Portella, SG-15, Ininga, 64049-550 Teresina, PI, Brasil.
authors.forename: Bernardo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisas em Plantas Medicinais, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Campus Ministro Petrônio Portella, SG-15, Ininga, 64049-550 Teresina, PI, Brasil.
authors.forename: Joseana M S R
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Leitão
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisas em Plantas Medicinais, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Campus Ministro Petrônio Portella, SG-15, Ininga, 64049-550 Teresina, PI, Brasil.
authors.forename: Luciano G C
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisas em Plantas Medicinais, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Campus Ministro Petrônio Portella, SG-15, Ininga, 64049-550 Teresina, PI, Brasil.
authors.forename: Sérgio E M
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisas em Plantas Medicinais, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Campus Ministro Petrônio Portella, SG-15, Ininga, 64049-550 Teresina, PI, Brasil.
authors.forename: Sabrina M P
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Carneiro
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisas em Plantas Medicinais, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Campus Ministro Petrônio Portella, SG-15, Ininga, 64049-550 Teresina, PI, Brasil.
authors.forename: Klinger A F
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Campus Ministro Petrônio Portella, SG-02, Ininga, 64049-550 Teresina, PI, Brasil.
authors.forename: Mariana H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chaves
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisas em Plantas Medicinais, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Campus Ministro Petrônio Portella, SG-15, Ininga, 64049-550 Teresina, PI, Brasil.|Departamento de Biofísica e Fisiologia, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Campus Ministro Petrônio Portella, SG-08/09, Ininga, 64049-550 Teresina, PI, Brasil.
authors.forename: Daniel D R
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Arcanjo
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisas em Plantas Medicinais, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Campus Ministro Petrônio Portella, SG-15, Ininga, 64049-550 Teresina, PI, Brasil.|Departamento de Bioquímica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Campus Ministro Petrônio Portella, SG-08, Ininga, 64049-550 Teresina, PI, Brasil.
authors.forename: Fernando A A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Carvalho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007891:Leishmania / Q000187:drug effects*; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000188:drug therapy; D008264:Macrophages / Q000469:parasitology*; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D027821:Rutaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D032106:Zanthoxylum / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts