Activity of acnistins against leishmania mexicana, trypanosoma cruzi and plasmodium falciparum

• Bernardo Chataing Universidad de Los Andes, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biología
• Antoine Hocquette Université Paul Sabatier, Faculté de Pharmacie, Pharmacochimie des Substances Naturelles et Pharmacophores Redox
• Silverio Diaz Universidad de Los Andes, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biología
• Alexis Valentin Université Paul Sabatier, Faculté de Pharmacie, Pharmacochimie des Substances Naturelles et Pharmacophores Redox
• Alfredo Usubillaga Universidad de Los Andes, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioanálisis, Instituto de Investigaciones

Abstract

Acnistin A and E, two withanolides with a bicyclic side-chain at C-17, isolated from the leaves of Acnitus arborescens (L) Schlecht that grows in the Venezuelan Andes inhibited the growth of Leishmania mexicana and Trypanosoma cruzi in cultured medium. On the other hand acnistins A, E, and L, also inhibited the growth of a chloroquine-resistant strain and a chloroquine-sensitive strain of Plasmodium falciparum in cultured medium. Data indicated that acnistins exerted a higher inhibitory activity upon these parasites that ketoconazole, mevastatin and lapachol in the same conditions of assay.