Essential oil from leaves of Lantana camara: a potential source of medicine against leishmaniasis

Abstract

Abstract:Leishmaniasis is an infection of viscera or tegument caused by protozoa Leishmania sp. The extensive period required for the treatment, which involves the use of toxic medicines, leads patients to drop treatment increasing the development of resistant forms of Leishmania sp. Lantana camara L., Verbenaceae, is a tropical plant native from America. Folk uses have been described for treatment of tumors, tetanus, rheumatism and malaria. This study evaluates the leishmanicidal activity of the essential oil of leaves from L. camara on promastigote forms of Leishmania chagasi and L. amazonensis and its toxic effects on Artemia salina (brine shrimp test), macrophage cultures and BALB/c mice. The chemical composition was evaluated using the gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometer (GC-MS). Thirty substances, mostly mono and sesquiterpenes were identifi ed. The most representative constituents were: germacrene D (24.90%), farnesene derivatives (22%) and (E)-cariophylene (14.31%). Bioassays revealed a signifi cant leishmanicidal activity of essential oil against L. amazonensis (IC50 0.25 μg/ mL) and a potential toxic effect on Brine shrimp (LC50 10 μg/mL) and macrophage assays (CC50 4 μg/mL), while there was no toxic manifestation on mice. The data show the relevant potential of L. camara as a source of medicine for leishmaniasis treatment.

Essential oils: in vitro activity against Leishmania amazonensis, cytotoxicity and chemical composition

“…These results corroborate with those reported by Machado et al [28] that found farnesene derivatives as the most representative constituents (22 %) and their bioassays using EO from Lantana camara revealed a significant leishmanicidal activity against L. amazonensis (IC 50 /72 h = 0.25 μg/mL), except for the cytotoxic activity, in which the authors obtained high values on Brine shrimp (CC 50 10 μg/mL). Subsequently, Gawde et al [29] observed that the chemical composition of M. chamomilla was similar to the one found in our study (β-farnesene, α-bisabolol oxide B, chamazulene) but no leishmanicidal activity on L. donavani was observed.…”

Screening antimycobacterial activity of Baccharis dracunculifolia, Centella asiatica, Lantana camara and Pterodon emarginatus

“…This previous study presented germacrene D, caryophyllene and farnesene as the major compounds. Thus, despite the absence of antimycobacterial activity of EOLC, the described composition of EOLC and EOPE (Dutra et al, 2012a;Machado et al, 2012b) suggests that the germacrene D is not related to the antimycobacterial activity revealed by EOPE in this work, since both essential oils presented germacrene D as one of the major compounds.…”

“…The composition of the currently used EOLC was described in a previous study that showed its leishmanicidal potential (Machado et al, 2012b). This previous study presented germacrene D, caryophyllene and farnesene as the major compounds.…”

“…In addition, this plant is widely used in Africa for the treatment of diseases such as tuberculosis. Previous studies revealed a relevant antimycobacterial activity of this plant against M. tuberculosis using the methanol extract from its leaves (Kirimuhuzya et al, 2009), and the absence of toxicity of its essential oil when it was administered to mice (Machado et al, 2012b).…”

Chemical composition, antimicrobial and anti-acetylcholinesterase activities of essential oil from Lantana camara (Verbenaceae) flowers

“…The essential oil of its flowers and leaves possess a variety of chemical compounds with leishmanicidal, antimicrobial, anticancer, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory activities, among others. However, in high doses, these species can be toxic to some animals (Oyourou et al, 2013;Machado et al, 2012;Montanari et al, 2011;Sousa et al, 2011;Costa et al, 2009;Sharma and Kumar, 2009).…”