Hydroxymethylnitrofurazone (NFOH) decreases parasitaemia, parasitism and tissue lesion caused by infection with the Bolivia Trypanosoma cruzi type I strain in Swiss and C57BL/6 mice

Caue Benito Scarim; Cleverton Roberto  de Andrade; Rossana Falcone; Leticia Moreno; Vitor  Senhorelli; João A Da Rosa; Chung  Man Chin

doi:10.1590/s2175-97902022e20277

Authors

Caue Benito Scarim Sao Paulo State University “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, UNESP, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceuticals and Medicines, Araraquara, SP, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2540-6395
Cleverton Roberto de Andrade Sao Paulo State University “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, UNESP, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Physiology and Pathology, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
Rossana Falcone Sao Paulo State University “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, UNESP, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of biosciences and biotechnology, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
Leticia Moreno Sao Paulo State University “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, UNESP, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of biosciences and biotechnology, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
Vitor Senhorelli Sao Paulo State University “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, UNESP, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceuticals and Medicines, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
João A Da Rosa Sao Paulo State University “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, UNESP, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of biosciences and biotechnology, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
Chung Man Chin Sao Paulo State University “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, UNESP, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceuticals and Medicines, Araraquara, SP, Brazil

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/s2175-97902022e20277

Keywords:

Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, Bolivia strain, Acute stage, Hydroxymethylnitrofurazone (NFOH), Benznidazole (BZN)

Abstract

The chemical hydroxymethylation of the antimicrobial nitrofurazone leads to the prodrug NFOH, also increases the anti-T. cruzi activities (in vitro and in vivo), as well as showed non-genotoxic (Ames and micronucleus assays). In the present study, we assessed the anti-T. cruzi effect of the NFOH In vivo - in acute Swiss and C57Bl/6 experimental Chagas models. The treatment started at 5 days post-infection during 20 consecutive days (orally, once day, 150mg/kg), and the parasitaemia as well as histopathology analysis were performed. In both experimental murine models, NFOH was able to reduce parasitemia blood avoiding parasitic reactivation, during immunosuppression period (dexamethasone 5mg/kg, 14 days), in 100% of the mice, and decrease tissue parasite nests, demonstrating absence of amastigote forms in all organs (100%) analyzed, data similar to benznidazole (BZN). Therefore, the results shown here pointing to the NFOH as promising compound for further preclinical studies, being a high potential drug to effective and safe chemotherapy to Chagas disease.

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