Effects of medicinal plant extracts on growth of Leishmania (L.) amazonensis and Trypanosoma cruzi

This study describes the screening of extracts obtained from 19 species of plants used in Brazilian traditional medicine for treatment of a variety of diseases. The extracts were tested against axenic amastigote and promastigote forms of Leishmania (L.) amazonensis, and epimastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi in vitro at a concentration of 100 mg/ml. Baccharis trimera, Cymbopogon citratus, Matricaria chamomilla, Mikania glomerata, Ocimum gratissimum, Piper regnellii, Prunus domestica, Psidium guajava, Sambucus canadensis, Stryphnodendron adstringens, Tanacetum parthenium, and Tanacetum vulgare showed significant effects against one or both parasites, with a percentage of growth inhibition between 49.5 and 99%. The extracts showed no cytotoxic effect on sheep erythrocytes. These medicinal plants may be sources of new compounds that are clinically active against L. amazonensis and T. cruzi.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Luize,Patrícia Shima, Tiuman,Tatiana Shioji, Morello,Luis Gustavo, Maza,Paloma Korehiza, Ueda-Nakamura,Tânia, Dias Filho,Benedito Prado, Cortez,Diógenes Aparício Garcia, Mello,João Carlos Palazzo de, Nakamura,Celso Vataru
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	English
Published:	Divisão de Biblioteca e Documentação do Conjunto das Químicas da Universidade de São Paulo 2005
Online Access:	http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-93322005000100010
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