Rhonda Veas1, Maura Rojas-Pirela2, Christian Castillo3, Claudio Olea-Azar4, Mauricio Moncada5, Pablo Ulloa6, Verónica Rojas7, Ulrike Kemmerling8. 1. Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2373223, Chile; Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile 8380453, Chile. 2. Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2373223, Chile. 3. Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile 8380453, Chile. 4. Departamento de Química Analítica e Inorgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile 8380494, Chile. 5. Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile 8380453, Chile; Departamento de Química Analítica e Inorgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile 8380494, Chile. 6. Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2373223, Chile; Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, INIA-La Platina, Santiago de Chile 8831314, Chile. 7. Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2373223, Chile. Electronic address: veronica.rojas@pucv.cl. 8. Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile 8380453, Chile. Electronic address: ukemmerling@uchile.cl.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan parasiteTrypanosoma cruzi, has no effective treatment available. On the other hand, microalgae are aquatic organisms that constitute an interesting reservoir of biologically active metabolites. Moreover, some species of green and red algae present anti-protozoan activity. Our aim was to study the antiparasitic effects of aqueous, methanolic and ethanolic extracts from different microalgae. METHODS AND RESULTS: Our results show that the methanolic extracts of S. obliquus and T. suecica as well as the ethanolic extracts of C. reinhardtii and T. suecica present trypanocidal activity on the infective extracellular trypomastigotes and intracellular amastigotes. In addition, the ethanolic extract of C. reinhardtii potentiates the activity of the conventional antichagasic drug nifurtimox. In order to identify some potential compounds with trypanocidal activity, we performed a phytochemical screening analyzing the presence of phenolic compounds, pigments and terpenoids. CONCLUSION: The different microalgae extracts, particularly the ethanolic extract ofC. reinhardtii, are promising potential candidates for the development of future natural antichagasic drugs.
INTRODUCTION: Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan parasiteTrypanosoma cruzi, has no effective treatment available. On the other hand, microalgae are aquatic organisms that constitute an interesting reservoir of biologically active metabolites. Moreover, some species of green and red algae present anti-protozoan activity. Our aim was to study the antiparasitic effects of aqueous, methanolic and ethanolic extracts from different microalgae. METHODS AND RESULTS: Our results show that the methanolic extracts of S. obliquus and T. suecica as well as the ethanolic extracts of C. reinhardtii and T. suecica present trypanocidal activity on the infective extracellular trypomastigotes and intracellular amastigotes. In addition, the ethanolic extract of C. reinhardtii potentiates the activity of the conventional antichagasic drug nifurtimox. In order to identify some potential compounds with trypanocidal activity, we performed a phytochemical screening analyzing the presence of phenolic compounds, pigments and terpenoids. CONCLUSION: The different microalgae extracts, particularly the ethanolic extract ofC. reinhardtii, are promising potential candidates for the development of future natural antichagasic drugs.