Mechanistic Insights and Therapeutic Potential of the Antidepressant Amitriptyline against Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis.

ABSTRACT: Leishmaniasis remains a significant global health challenge, with limited therapeutic options and rising drug resistance. The repurposing of Food and Drug Administration approved antidepressants as amitriptyline, a widely used tricyclic drug, could offer a promising strategy for developing novel antileishmanial agents. This study investigates the in vitro activity of amitriptyline against promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes and explores its ultrastructural effects and potential in combination therapy. Amitriptyline was effective against the clinically relevant form, the intracellular amastigotes of , resulting in an EC50 value of 22 μM. Ultrastructural analyses revealed mitochondrial swelling following amitriptyline treatment, suggesting mitochondria as a key target. This structura

SUBMITTER: Mesquita JT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12368814 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature