Induction of cell death on Plasmodium falciparum asexual blood stages by Solanum nudum steroids

Solanum nudum Dunal (Solanaceae) is a plant used in traditional medicine in Colombian Pacific Coast, from which five steroids denominated SNs have been isolated. The SNs compounds have antiplasmodial activity against asexual blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum strain 7G8 with an IC50 between 20–87 µM. However, their mode of action is unknown. Steroids regulate important cellular functions including cell growth, differentiation and death. Thus, the aim of this work was to determine the effects of S. nudum compounds on P. falciparum asexual blood stages and their association with cell death. We found that trophozoite and schizont stages were the most sensitive to SNs. By Giemsa-stained smears, induction of crisis forms was observed. Transmission electron microscopy of treated parasites showed morphological abnormalities such as a cytoplasm rich in vesicles and myelinic figures. The Mitochondria presented no morphological alterations and the nuclei showed no abnormal chromatin condensation. By the use of S. nudum compounds, cell death in P. falciparum was evident by a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, DNA fragmentation and cytoplasmic acidification. The asexual blood stages of P. falciparum showed some apoptotic-like and autophagic-like cell death characteristics induced by SNs treatment.

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