Oral Efficacy of Apigenin against Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: Involvement of Reactive Oxygen Species and Autophagy as a Mechanism of Action.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The treatment for leishmaniasis is currently based on pentavalent antimonials and amphotericin B; however, these drugs result in numerous adverse side effects. The lack of affordable therapy has necessitated the urgent development of new drugs that are efficacious, safe, and more accessible to patients. Natural products are a major source for the discovery of new and selective molecules for neglected diseases. In this paper, we evaluated the effect of apigenin on Leishmania amazonensis in vitro and in vivo and described the mechanism of action against intracellular amastigotes of L. amazonensis.

Methodology/principal finding

Apigenin reduced the infection index in a dose-dependent manner, with IC50 values of 4.3 μM and a selectivity index of 18.2. Apigenin induced

SUBMITTER: Fonseca-Silva F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4749305 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature