Avaliação do potencial terapêutico do resveratrol como uma nova droga contra a leishmaniose visceral

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is an infectious parasitic diseases caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania, and are distributed in 98 countries including Brazil, which has a great importance and clinical epidemiology, considering the number of registered cases. Although current treatments available are effective, important considerations about toxicity and high cost have been discussed by WHO, it is urgent to search for new drugs. Resveratrol, a polyphenol found in several plants, including grapes, peanuts and eucalyptus have been widely studied in the last decades. Their pharmacological characteristics and biological actions include: anti-inflammatory capacity; antitumor; antioxidant; antiplatelet therapy; fungicide; antiviral and antibacterial. In addition, resveratrol has demonstrated anti-promastigotes and amastigotes in vitro action. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of oral treatment with resveratrol against murine visceral leishmaniasis. BALB/c mice infected with L. infantum chagasi resveratrol were treated orally (50 mg / kg / day) for 10 days. The treatment with resveratrol did not induce toxicity demonstrated by measurements of aminotransferases (ALT, AST) and creatinine. Furthermore, the treatment with resveratrol was able to induce reduction in parasitism of the spleen and liver, compared to the untreated group, and to increase compatible lymphocyte infiltration observed in the liver of these animals. A significant reduction of the cytokine IL-4, IL-6 and IL-17 as well as the increase of TNF-α and TGF-β in the liver supernatant was observed. Significant reduction of TNF-α and IL-10 was observed in spleen macerated supernatants treated with resveratrol. The same group showed a significant decrease in apoptosis of splenocytes when compared with the experimental controls. Taken together, our data demonstrated for the first time the feasibility of Resveratrol as an effective and safe anti-Leishmania drug, which makes it a promising candidate for use against human leishmaniasis.