Report of in vitro antileishmanial properties of Iberian macroalgae

• Authors: Bruno de Sousa C, Lago JHG, Macridachis J, Oliveira M, Brito L, Vizetto-Duarte C, Florindo C, Hendrickx S, Maes L, Morais T, Uemi M, Neto L, Dionísio L, Cortes S, Barreira L, Custódio L, Alberício F, Campino L, Varela J
• Publication Year: 2018
• Journal: Natural Product Research
• Link: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14786419.2018.1434637

ere is reported the anti Leishmania infantum activity of 48 hexane, CH₂Cl₂ and MeOH extracts from 16 macroalgae collected on the Iberian Coast. Seven hexane and CH₂Cl₂ Cystoseira baccata, Cystoseira barbata, Cystoseira tamariscifolia, Cystoseira usneoides, Dictyota spiralis and Plocamium cartilagineum extracts were active towards promastigotes (IC₅₀ 29.8–101.8 μg/mL) inducing strong morphological alterations in the parasites. Hexane extracts of C. baccata and C. barbata were also active against intracellular amastigotes (IC₅₀ 5.1 and 6.8 μg/mL, respectively). Fatty acids, triacylglycerols, carotenoids, steroids and meroterpenoids were detected by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and gas chromatography in the Cystoseira extracts. These results suggest that Cystoseira macroalgae contain compounds with antileishmanial activity, which could be explored as scaffolds to the development of novel sources of antiparasitic derivatives.