Campomanesia xanthocarpa (Mart.) O. Berg essential oil induces antileishmanial activity and remodeling of the cytoplasm organelles

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease that affects millions of people worldwide. This study aimed to analyze antileishmanial activity of Campomanesia xanthocarpa leaf essential oil (EO) on promastigote and amastigote forms of Leishmania amazonensis, cytotoxicity in murine macrophages and sheep erythrocytes. The essential oil (EO) was analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrophotometry. The main and most abundant compounds were sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (71.22%) such as trans-caryophyllene (7.87%), bicyclogermacrene (11.28%), and δ-cadinene (8.34%). The IC₅₀ for promastigote and amastigote forms of L. amazonensis was 70 µg mL⁻¹ and 6 µg mL⁻¹, respectively. C. xanthocarpa EO was not cytotoxic for murine macrophages (CC₅₀ 1860 µg mL⁻¹) and sheep erythrocytes (1.5%), presenting high selectivity index for protozoan (310). C. xanthocarpa EO induced effects on the morphology and ultrastructure of this parasite. The high activity for intracellular amastigote forms, low toxicity to murine macrophages, and erythrocytes, suggest that C. xanthocarpa EO is promising for the treatment of leishmaniasis.

Keywords:

• Leishmania amazonensis
• cutaneous leishmaniasis
• Myrtaceae
• gabiroba
• essential oil

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was financed in part by Fundação Araucária the Coordenaçáo de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brazil (CAPES) Finance Code 001.