E. D. de Souza, G. M. Oliveira, D. Boykin
Sep 1, 2006
Citations
1
Influential Citations
40
Citations
Quality indicators
Journal
The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Aromatic diamidines have been successfully used to combat a wide range of parasites that cause important human infections. One such compound is furamidine (DB75) and we recently reported that one of its analogues, an N-phenyl analogue (DB569), exhibits higher trypanocidal dose and time-dependent effects against different forms of Trypanosoma cruzi as compared with DB75. Our present aim was to investigate the efficacy of DB569 in a T. cruzi mouse model. METHODS The trypanocidal activity of the compound was evaluated by clinical, parasitological, histopathological and biochemical investigations. RESULTS Treatment with DB569 significantly reduced cardiac parasitism, partially increased the survival rates of mice and lowered the levels of alanine aminotransferase and creatinine indicating a protective role against renal and hepatic lesions caused by the parasite infection. CONCLUSIONS Altogether, the data support the potential effect of this class of compounds against T. cruzi and motivate the screening of new diamidines for efficacy against Chagas' disease.