Unveiling the Leishmanicidal Mechanism of 4-Nerolidylcatechol Isolated From Piper peltatum Against Leishmania infantum

The present study assessed the leishmanicidal activity of 4-nerolidylcatechol (4-NC) (1) isolated from Piper peltatum leaves against promastigotes and amastigotes of Leishmania amazonensis, L. braziliensis, and L. infantum. The plant was fractionated, leading to the isolation and chemical identification of 4-NC (1). Biochemical techniques were subsequently employed to investigate the mechanism of action of both the extract and the compound. The induction of cellular apoptosis through reactive oxygen species production appears to be a predominant mechanism of action. In addition, both 4-NC (1) and the hydroethanolic extract showed minimal toxicity to human cells, even at higher concentrations. To our knowledge, this study represents the first report highlighting the leishmanicidal properties of 4-NC (1).