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Cytotoxic potential and antiparasitic activity of the Croton rhamnifolioides Pax leaves. & K. Hoffm essential oil and its inclusion complex (EOCr/β-CD)

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Abstract

Leishmaniasis and Chagas disease are neglected tropical diseases with relevance and public interest. Currently, the search for antiparasitic agents from medicinal plants has been the target of great research. Croton rhamnifolioides Pax. & K. Hoffm is known in popular medicine as “quebra-faca” or “caatinga-branca” and is used to treat stomachache, vomiting and fever. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic potential and antiparasitic activity of the Croton rhamnifolioides Pax leaves. & K. Hoffm essential oil (EOCr) and its inclusion complex with β-cyclodextrin (EOCr/β-CD). The trypanocide, leishmanicidal and cytotoxicity activity investigations were performed in triplicates by in vitro cell culture assays using different EOCr (1000, 500, 250, 125, 62.5 μg/mL) and EOCr/β-CD (1000, 500 and 250 μg/mL) concentrations dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide. The results showed the EOCr and EOCr/β-CD possessed an inhibitory potential with IC50 values of 85.21 and 1823 μg/mL against T. cruzi, IC50 values of 127.43 and 354.568 μg/mL against Leishmania braziliensis and IC50 values of 111.84 and 923.56 μg/mL against Leishmania infantum, respectively, with the EOCr being the most effective against T. cruzi. The EOCr presented toxic effects against NCTC929 fibroblasts at the highest concentrations of 1000 and 500 μg/mL, obtaining an IC50 value of 338.84 μg/mL; however, the EOCr/β-CD showed no signs of significant cytotoxicity obtaining an IC50 greater than 1000 μg/mL. The current results suggest the C. rhamnifolioides essential oil presents significant results, thus representing an alternative source for the development of natural products with antiparasitic activity.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the financial support provided by the FACEPE, CAPES, CNPq and FUNCAP institutions.

Funding

The authors declare that they have no funding to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Pharmacology and Molecular Chemistry, Department of Biological Chemistry, Regional University of Cariri, Rua Coronel Antônio Luis 1161, Pimenta, Crato, CE, 63105-000, Brazil

    Isabel Sousa Alcântara, Anita Oliveira Brito Pereira Bezerra Martins, Maria Rayane Correia de Oliveira & Irwin Rose Alencar de Menezes

  2. Laboratory of Pharmacology and Preclinical Bioactive Product Toxicology, Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Pernambuco, Av. Prof. Moraes Rego, 1235 - Cidade Universitária, Recife, PE, 50670-901, Brazil

    Almir Gonçalves Wanderley

  3. Laboratory of Neuroscience and Pharmacological Assays, Department of Physiology, Federal University of Sergipe, Avenue Marechal Rondon, S/N, São Cristóvão, SE, 49100-000, Brazil

    Lucindo José Quintans Júnior

  4. Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Testing and Toxicity, Department of Pharmacy, Federal University of Sergipe, Avenida Marechal Rondon, S/N, São Cristóvão, SE, 49100-000, Brazil

    Adriano Antunes de Souza Araújo

  5. Laboratory of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Department of Biological Chemistry, Regional University of Cariri, Rua Coronel Antônio Luis 1161, Pimenta, Crato, CE, 63105-000, Brazil

    Ana Carolina Justino de Araújo, Priscilla Ramos Freitas & Henrique Douglas Melo Coutinho

  6. Graduate Program in Biotechnology-Northeast Biotechnology Network (RENORBIO), State University of Ceará (UECE), Av. Dr. Silas Munguba, 1700, Itaperi, Fortaleza, CE, 60741-000, Brazil

    Maria Rayane Correia de Oliveira

  7. Centro Para El Desarrollo de La Investigación Científica (CEDIC), Fundación Moisés Bertoni/Laboratorios Díaz Gill, Asunción, Paraguay

    Cathia Coronel, Maria Celeste Vega Gomez & Miriam Rolón

  8. Department of Biological Chemistry, Regional University of Cariri-URCA, Brazil, Pimenta, Crato, CE, CEP 63100-000, Brazil

    Henrique Douglas Melo Coutinho

Authors
  1. Isabel Sousa Alcântara
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  2. Anita Oliveira Brito Pereira Bezerra Martins
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Correspondence to Henrique Douglas Melo Coutinho or Irwin Rose Alencar de Menezes.

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Alcântara, I.S., Martins, A.O.B.P.B., de Oliveira, M.R.C. et al. Cytotoxic potential and antiparasitic activity of the Croton rhamnifolioides Pax leaves. & K. Hoffm essential oil and its inclusion complex (EOCr/β-CD). Polym. Bull. 79, 1175–1185 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00289-021-03556-6

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