Bromoacetyl-L-carnitine: biochemical and antitrypanosomal actions against Trypanosoma brucei brucei

One of the causative agents of the African Trypanosamiases, Trypanosoma brucei brucei is able to use high intracellular carnitine concentrations and a high carnitine acetyl transferase (CAT) activity to stimulate ATP production. This paper reports that a carnitine analogue, bromoacetyl-L-carnitine, is an irreversible inhibitor of CAT from T.brucei, non-competitively inhibits carnitine uptake by T.brucei and has a potent in vitro effect against T.brucei motility and infectivity. An in vivo action in T.brucei infected mice is also reported. These results represent a new area of investigation in the important search for new antitrypanosomal agents.