Treating murine Kala-azar with a Mayan plant induces immunochemical changes

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Immunology
• Parasitology

Background:

• Pentalinon andrieuxii, a Mexican-Central American plant, has traditional uses for treating cutaneous leishmaniasis.
• Leishmaniasis, particularly Kala-azar, remains a significant global health concern requiring novel therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the chemical composition, immunomodulatory effects, and anti-leishmanial activity of a hexane extract from P. andrieuxii roots (PAE).
• To assess the efficacy of PAE in treating experimental Kala-azar in a mouse model.

Main Methods:

• Chemical analysis of PAE using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
• In vitro assessment of PAE's activity against Leishmania donovani promastigotes and amastigotes.
• In vivo evaluation of PAE in infected Balb/c mice, including parasite load determination and immune cell analysis.
• Measurement of cytokine production (IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-10, TNF) in spleen cells and macrophages.

Main Results:

• GC-MS identified hexadecanoic acid and its ethyl ester, octadecadienoic and octadecenoic acid ethyl esters, and diethyl phthalate as major compounds in PAE.
• PAE demonstrated in vitro efficacy against both promastigote and amastigote forms of Leishmania donovani.
• PAE treatment significantly reduced parasite burdens in the liver and spleen of infected mice.
• PAE induced NFkB/AP-1 transcription factors and increased IL-2 and IFN-γ production in spleen cells, without inducing IL-6, IL-10, or TNF in macrophages.

Conclusions:

• The hexane extract of Pentalinon andrieuxii (PAE) possesses significant anti-leishmanial activity against Leishmania donovani.
• PAE effectively treats experimental Kala-azar by reducing parasite loads and modulating host immune responses.
• PAE represents a promising, affordable therapeutic candidate for Kala-azar treatment.