Combined benznidazole and pentoxifylline therapy improves behavioral and cognitive changes in association with the regulation of systemic inflammatory profile in chronic experimental Chagas disease.

ABSTRACT: Chronically Trypanosoma cruzi-infected mice show signs of behavioral and cognitive changes, resembling aspects of Chagas disease patients. Inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines and nitric oxide (NO) have been linked to mental disorders. Preclinical studies showed the partial effects of the trypanossomicidal drug benznidazole (Bz) on mnemonic alterations. Here, we investigated the participation of the parasite and systemic inflammatory profile in behavioral and cognitive changes, using Bz combined with the immunoregulator pentoxifylline (PTX). Chronically T. cruzi-infected C57BL/6 mice were treated with Bz (25 mg/Kg/day) and PTX (20 mg/Kg/day) as mono or combined therapies, submitted to behavioral tests, and canonical biological stressors were analyzed. Bz therapy had no effects on anxi

SUBMITTER: Vilar-Pereira G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12617855 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature