The antiparasitic effect of the norditerpenoid yaretol on Trypanosoma cruzi

Abstract

Chagas disease is caused by the intracellular parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Approximately seven million people are infected worldwide, and more of 10,000 deaths occur annually. Due to the increase in migration from Latin America to the rest of the world, mainly the United States and Europe, Chagas disease has emerged in countries where it was unknown. The effect on the proliferation and viability of T. cruzi epimastigotes of the eight terpenes, AZ1: azorellolide, AZ2: mulinol, AZ3: stachytriol, AZ4:1α,10β,4β,5α-diepoxy-7β-germacran-6β-ol, AZ5:1β,10α,4β,5α-diepoxy-7β-germacran-6β- ol, AZ6: 1,2,3,3α,4,5,6,7,8,8α-decahydro-7-(1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)-1,4- dimethylazulene-3α,8α-diol, AZ7: madreporanone, and AZ8: yaretol, previously isolated of the aerial parts from Azorella cryptantha were tested. The norditerpenoid yaretol inhibited epimastigotes proliferation, the IC₅₀ value was 6.38 ± 0.47 μM, more effective than benznidazole (9.6 μM) and less cytotoxic in Vero cell line (8.87 μM) at 48 hs incubation. Studies to evaluate the effect of yaretol on other forms of the parasite are currently being performed.