Finding of leishmanicidal activity of 14-hydroxylunularin in mice experimentally infected with Leishmania infantum

In this study, we report the in vivo efficacy of 14-hydroxylunularin evaluated in BALB/c mice experimentally infected with promastigotes of Leishmania infantum (syn L. chagasi), the major causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis in Latin America. Seven days post-infection, treatment with 14-hydroxylunularin started and it was administered by oral and subcutaneous routes in doses of 10 and 25 mg/kg of weight for ten days using Glucantime® as reference drug. In the liver, the evaluated compound showed parasite reduction above 90% by both administration routes being the oral route the most effective at both doses. Significant decreased numbers of parasites were also observed when the treated group was compared with the control group (p ≤ 0.05). The subcutaneous route presented a remarkable difference with at least 80% parasite suppression in liver and spleen at 10 mg/kg dose and 90% in liver at 25 mg/kg. The leishmanicidal activity of 14-hydroxylunularin against L. infantum revealed by this study is another evidence in favor of this compound as a potential candidate for the development of a new oral treatment for leishmaniasis.