Sustainable Antiparasitic Agents from an Agro-Industrial Waste: Mitochondria-Targeting Cashew Nutshell Liquid-Derived Phosphonium and Ammonium Salts.

ABSTRACT: Innovative, sustainable therapies are urgently needed for neglected vector-borne parasitic diseases. In this study, we leveraged cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL), an agro-industrial byproduct, to develop biobased phosphonium and ammonium salts (5-25) targeting parasite mitochondria. By combining CNSL-derived C8 alkyl chains with lipophilic cations, we synthesized novel compounds exhibiting highly potent in vitro and ex vivo activity against Trypanosoma and Leishmania spp., including veterinary-relevant strains like T. b. evansi and T. b. equiperdum. Compounds 5 and 7 outperformed reference drugs, demonstrating subnanomolar efficacy against Trypanosoma brucei spp., high selectivity indices (>1000), and no cross-resist

SUBMITTER: Martinengo B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12481484 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature