In vitro evaluation of β-carboline alkaloids as potential anti-Toxoplasma agents.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide infection caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which causes chorioretinitis and neurological defects in congenitally infected newborns or immunodeficient patients. The efficacy of the current treatment is limited, primarily by serious host toxicity. In recent years, research has focused on the development of new drugs against T. gondii. β-Carbolines (βCs), such as harmane, norharmane and harmine, are a group of naturally occurring alkaloids that show microbicidal activity. In this work, harmane, norharmane and harmine were tested against T. gondii.

Findings

The treatment of extracellular tachyzoites with harmane, norharmane and harmine showed a 2.5 to 3.5-fold decrease in the invasion rates at doses of 40 μM (harmane and

SUBMITTER: Alomar ML 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3654986 | biostudies-literature | 2013 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature