Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 30, 2026
In Vivo Infection with Leishmania amazonensis to Evaluate Parasite Virulence in Mice
Published on: February 20, 2020
In vivo activity of perifosine against Leishmania amazonensis
M Gabriela Cabrera-Serra1, Basilio Valladares, Jose E Piñero
1University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of Canary Islands, Laboratory of Chemotherapies against Protozoa, University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.
Abstract:
Miltefosine has been established as the first oral administration drug against cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. Other alkyl-phospholipids such as edelfosine have been tested against Leishmania showing an in vitro antiparasitic activity. Perifosine in vitro activity has been previously demonstrated against different Leishmania species including Leishmania amazonensis. In this study edelfosine and perifosine were orally administered to BALB/c mice at doses of 1 and 2.5 mg/kg/day during 28 days and 5 mg/kg/day during 14 days, starting the treatment 2 weeks after the first treatment scheme. Lesion sizes and parasitic burden as well as viability were determined in order to establish the treatment effectiveness. An assay to compare miltefosine at standard dose of 2.5 mg/kg/day during 28 days to an in vivo treatment with perifosine at the most effective treatment scheme observed in this study 5 mg/kg/day during 14 days, was also developed. Perifosine showed the higher activity in the in vivo assay and is showing as a new possibility within the alkyl-phospholipids group for the treatment against cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by L. amazonensis.
Insights
Perifosine, an alkyl-phospholipid, demonstrates higher efficacy than miltefosine in treating experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania amazonensis in mice.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Infectious Diseases
- Drug Discovery
Background:
- Miltefosine is the primary oral treatment for leishmaniasis.
- Alkyl-phospholipids like edelfosine and perifosine exhibit in vitro antiparasitic activity against Leishmania species.
- Perifosine has shown prior in vitro effectiveness against Leishmania amazonensis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the in vivo efficacy of perifosine and edelfosine against cutaneous leishmaniasis.
- To compare the effectiveness of perifosine with miltefosine in a murine model.
Main Methods:
- BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania amazonensis were treated orally with edelfosine and perifosine at varying doses and durations.
- Lesion size, parasitic burden, and parasite viability were assessed to determine treatment efficacy.
- A comparative study involved treating mice with perifosine (5 mg/kg/day for 14 days) and miltefosine (2.5 mg/kg/day for 28 days).
Main Results:
- Perifosine exhibited superior activity in the in vivo assay compared to edelfosine.
- The most effective perifosine treatment scheme (5 mg/kg/day for 14 days) showed higher efficacy than the standard miltefosine treatment (2.5 mg/kg/day for 28 days).
Conclusions:
- Perifosine demonstrates significant potential as a novel alkyl-phospholipid treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania amazonensis.
- Further investigation into perifosine as a therapeutic agent for leishmaniasis is warranted.
More Related Videos
05:55In Vivo Imaging of Leishmania infantum-infected Hamsters by Gingival Inoculation of Axenic Amastigotes Expressing Luciferase
Published on: April 4, 2025
12:02An Efficient Method for the Synthesis of Peptoids with Mixed Lysine-type/Arginine-type Monomers and Evaluation of Their Anti-leishmanial Activity
Published on: November 2, 2016
Related Concept Videos
01:21Antiprotozoal Agents
01:30Leishmaniasis