The Amoebicidal Effect of Ergosterol Peroxide Isolated fromPleurotus ostreatus

Abstract

Dysentery is an inflammation of the intestine caused by the protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica and is a recurrent health problem affecting millions of people worldwide. Because of the magnitude of this disease, finding novel strategies for treatment that does not affect human cells is necessary. Ergosterol peroxide is a sterol particularly known as a major cytotoxic agent with a wide spectrum of biological activities produced by edible and medicinal mushrooms. The aim of this report is to evaluate the amoebicidal activity of ergosterol peroxide (5α, 8α-epidioxy-22E-ergosta-6,22-dien-3β-ol isolated from 5α, 8α-epidioxy-22E-ergosta-6,22-dien-3β-ol) (Jacq.) P. Kumm. f. sp. Florida. Our results show that ergosterol peroxide produced a strong cytotoxic effect against amoebic growth. The inhibitory concentration IC50 of ergosterol peroxide was evaluated. The interaction between E. histolytica and ergosterol peroxide in vitro resulted in strong amoebicidal activity (IC50 = 4.23 nM) that may be due to the oxidatory effect on the parasitic membrane. We also tested selective toxicity of ergosterol peroxide using a cell line CCL-241, a human epithelial cell line isolated from normal human fetal intestinal tissue. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the cytotoxicity of ergosterol peroxide against E. histolytica, which uncovers a new biological property of the lipidic compound isolated from Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) P. Kumm. f. sp. Florida.

Insights into Ergosterol Peroxide’s Trypanocidal Activity

“…The biological effects of ergosterol peroxide (5α,8α-epidioxy-22E-ergosta-6,22-dien-3β-ol) range from immunosuppressive to cytotoxic to anti-microbial and include anti-plasmodial, anti-leishmanial, anti-amoebic and trypanocidal activities [29,36,49,50]. However, the mechanism of action remains unknown.…”

“…In addition, 130 mg of a white crystalline compound (m.p. 179–181 °C) were obtained and identified as ergosterol peroxide based on its NMR spectroscopic data and compared to an authentic sample same as previously described [36].…”

“…It also has a broad range of biological functions; it is anti-sclerotic [31], pro-apoptotic [32], anti-inflammatory [33], anti-viral [30], anti-mycobacterial [34], anti-proliferative [24], chemo-preventive [35] and, notably, trypanocidal [26]. Recently, the antiamoebic effects of ergosterol peroxide have been reported [36]. Despite this broad range of functions, ergosterol peroxide appears to act selectively.…”

Micoquímica en México: Breve reseña histórica

“…Islas-Santillán et al (2017b) reportan el aislamiento de los esteroles previamente conocidos ergosterol, estelasterol, peróxido de ergosterol y 5α-ergosta-7,22dien-3-ona, a partir de los basidiocarpos de G. curtisii y G. applanatum. Finalmente, los estudios químicos de hongos comestibles con potencial terapéutico, se encuentran representados mediante los reportes de , sobre el efecto en contra de Trypanosoma cruzi del peróxido de ergosterol aislado a partir de P. ostreatus y la posterior demostración de que el acetato de peróxido de ergosterol, obtenido semisintéticamente a partir del metabolito antes mencionado, también posee actividad tripanocida (Lobato-Tapia et al, 2012), así como con el trabajo de Meza-Menchaca et al (2015) acerca del efecto amebicida ejercido por el peróxido de ergosterol aislado a partir de P. ostreatus. Mata et al (2014) analizaron la composición química de volátiles presentes en Lentinula edodes y L. boryanus, encontrando que los compuestos característicos del aroma de las especies antes mencionadas son 3-octanona y 3-octanol, respectivamente.…”

Trypanocidal Effect of Nano MOFs-EP on Circulating Forms of Trypanosoma cruzi

“…In particular, ergosterol is the precursor of several molecules essential for cells such as vitamin D2 among others (18). Ergosterol is oxidized to form ergosterol peroxide (EP) isolated from a wide variety of fungi; attributed several immunosuppressive, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antitumor, antiparasitic and trypanocidal biological activities in vitro (19,20,17). The necessity to focus the research on new trypanocidal molecules is due to the failed search for new drugs against the parasite T. cruzi, which causes Chagas disease (21).…”