In vitro trypanocidal activity of solamargine and extracts from Solanum palinacanthum and Solanum lycocarpum of Brazilian cerrado

• Published in: Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências 2013-09, Vol.85 (3), p.903-907
• Main Authors: Moreira, Raquel R D, Martins, Gilmarcio Z, Magalhães, Nathália O, Almeida, Adélia E, Pietro, Rosemeire C L R, Silva, Flávia A J, Cicarelli, Regina M B
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: atividade tripanocida; epimastigota; Inhibitory Concentration 50; MULTIDISCIPLINARY SCIENCES; Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; solamargina; Solanaceous Alkaloids - pharmacology; Solanum - chemistry; Solanum - classification; Solanum lycocarpum; Solanum palinacanthum; Trypanocidal Agents - isolation & purification; Trypanocidal Agents - pharmacology; Trypanosoma cruzi; Trypanosoma cruzi - drug effects
• ISSN: 0001-3765; 1678-2690; 1678-2690; 0001-3765
• DOI: 10.1590/S0001-37652013000300006

The present investigation was to evaluate the potential trypanocidal activity of crude ethanolic extract of the fruits of Solanum palinacanthum, Solanum lycocarpum and the glycoalcaloid, solamargine. S. palinacanthum and S. lycocarpum fruit powders were submitted to exhaustively extraction with 96% ethanol and solamargine were isolated from the extract of S. palinacanthum. Both extracts and solamargine were analysed for trypanocidal activity by using MTT colorimetric assay. Extracts of S. palinacanthum showed to be more active (IC50 = 175.9 µg.ml-1) than S. lycocarpum (IC50 = 194.7 µg.ml-1). Solamargine presented a strong activity (IC50 = 15.3 µg.ml-1), which can explain the better activity of the both extracts. Benznidazol (IC50 = 9.0 µg.ml-1) is the only drug used to treat Chagas' disease. These findings demonstrate for the first time that ethanol extracts obtained from both fruits of S. palinacanthum and S. lycocarpum and also solamargine have a potential anti-trypanosomal activity.