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Association of water extract of green propolis and liposomal meglumine antimoniate in the treatment of experimental visceral leishmaniasis

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Abstract

This work investigated the use of water extract of green propolis (WEP) and its association with free or liposomal meglumine antimoniate (MA) for the treatment of murine visceral leishmaniasis. Mice infected with Leishmania infantum were treated with oral doses of WEP associated or not with a single dose of liposomal MA by intraperitoneal route. Parasite burden was assessed in the liver and spleen by limiting dilution assay, and alterations in the spleen cellular phenotype were evaluated by flow cytometry. Tissue damage was assessed by determination of biochemical markers of the liver, heart, and kidney function and histopathological analysis of the liver and spleen. Our data showed that treatment with WEP was able to reduce parasite load in the liver but not in the spleen. On the other hand, liposomal MA reduced parasite load in both organs. Unexpectedly, there was no synergism with the combination of WEP and liposomal MA in reducing the parasite load. The histopathological analysis showed that administration of WEP, liposomal MA, or their association was able to protect the liver and spleen from lesions caused by infection. No alteration in the profile of spleen cells by flow cytometry or in the liver, heart, and kidney functions by biochemical markers due to any of the treatments was observed. These results demonstrate that although WEP was able to significantly reduce the liver parasite load, its association with liposomal MA did not lead to significant improvement in reducing parasite load. On the other hand, treatment with WEP and/or liposomal MA protected the liver and spleen from lesions caused by the infection.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG, grant numbers REDE-40/11, APQ-01327-09, APQ-00780-12 and 297491). FF is a recipient of a research fellowship from the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas (Cipharma), Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Flávia M. Ferreira, Renata A. O. Castro, Sandra A. L. Moura & Simone A. Rezende

  2. Escola de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Fernanda M. O. Rossi

  3. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas (NUPEB), Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Sandra A. L. Moura

  4. Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Mauricio A. Batista

  5. Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Denise Silveira-Lemos

  6. Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Frédéric Frézard

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  1. Flávia M. Ferreira
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  2. Renata A. O. Castro
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  7. Sandra A. L. Moura
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  8. Simone A. Rezende
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Correspondence to Simone A. Rezende.

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Ferreira, F.M., Castro, R.A.O., Batista, M.A. et al. Association of water extract of green propolis and liposomal meglumine antimoniate in the treatment of experimental visceral leishmaniasis. Parasitol Res 113, 533–543 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-013-3685-8

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