Cationic steroid antibiotics as potential chemotherapeutic agent against Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania major
Abstract
The trypanosomatids are parasites of medical importance that affect millions of people in the world. In this study, I am interested in finding new chemotherapeutic agents to treat Chagas' disease and leishmaniasis. In this regard, I have characterized the trypanocidal and lieshmanicidal activities of a novel series of compounds known as cationic steroid antibiotics (CSAs). Three CSAs (CSA-8, CSA-13 and CSA-54) were assayed. Overall promastigotes of Leishmania major showed more sensitivity to these compounds than Trypanosoma cruzi. The trypanocidal activity of the CSAs was assessed by in vitro infectivity experiments. CSA-8 was more effective when the cells were treated post infection during 24 h (IC50 of 6.7 μM). CSA-13 has the highest cytotoxic effect in all cell lines tested. The parasiticidal activity of the CSAs and their relative low toxicity to the mammalian cells make these compounds promising chemotherapeutic agents.
Subject Area
Microbiology|Parasitology
Recommended Citation
Lara, Diana, "Cationic steroid antibiotics as potential chemotherapeutic agent against Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania major" (2007). ETD Collection for University of Texas, El Paso. AAI1449733.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/dissertations/AAI1449733