Evaluation of the in vivo leishmanicidal activity of amphotericin B emulgel: An alternative for the treatment of skin leishmaniasis

• Published in: Experimental parasitology 2016-05, Vol.164, p.49-55
• Main Authors: Pinheiro, Iluska Martins, Carvalho, Ivana Pereira, de Carvalho, Camila Ernanda Sousa, Brito, Lucas Moreira, da Silva, Andrezza Braga Soares, Conde Júnior, Airton Mendes, de Carvalho, Fernando Aécio Amorim, Carvalho, André Luis Menezes
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amphotericin B - administration & dosage; Amphotericin B - chemistry; Animals; Antiprotozoal Agents - administration & dosage; Antiprotozoal Agents - chemistry; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Gels; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Leishmania major; Leishmania major - drug effects; Leishmaniasis; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous - drug therapy; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous - pathology; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Oleic Acid; Spleen - drug effects; Spleen - pathology; Topical use
• ISSN: 0014-4894; 1090-2449
• DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2016.02.010

The American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (ACL) is an infectious disease that can be fatal. The first line of treatment is pentavalent antimonies. However, due to its potential to develop resistance, Amphotericin B (AmB) started to be used as an alternative medicine. Current treatments are limited, a fact that has led to a growing interesting in developing new therapies. This study aims to evaluate the therapeutic potential in vivo of an amphotericin B + oleic acid (OA) emulgel in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis in an experimental model. Strains of Leishmania major MHOM/IL/80/Friendlin of Leishmania major were used. The animals were inoculated subcutaneously. After the development of leishmanial, nodular or ulcerative lesions, the animals were divided into three groups (control, Group A and Group B) and treated twice a day for twelve days. The weight of the animals was measured and the size of the lesions was observed. A histopathological analysis was performed with skin fragments of lesions and with the spleen of animals treated with different treatments (emulgel, AmB 3% emulgel and AmB 3% plus OA 5% emulgel). It was observed that when subjected to treatment with AmB 3% emulgel during the study period using both formulations, with enhancer and without enhancer, ulcerative lesions regress gradually or even complete cure. The quantification of the average number of parasites recovered from the inoculation site was made after the treatment in each group and the differences were considered significant. The treatment with AmB 3% and OA 5% emulgel had the best in vivo therapeutic response, showing good prospects for cutaneous leishmaniasis therapy as an alternative therapy. [Display omitted] •The treatment with the AmB emulgel leads to a decrease of the ulcerative lesions.•The parasites recovered at the inoculation site after treatment was reduced.•Treatment with emulgel of AmB and AO showed better therapeutic response in vivo.