Nitric oxide and Brazilian propolis combined accelerates tissue repair by modulating cell migration, cytokine production and collagen deposition in experimental leishmaniasis.

The fact that drugs currently used in the treatment of Leishmania are highly toxic and associated with acquired resistance has promoted the search for new therapies for treating American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL). In this study, BALB/c mice were injected in the hind paw with Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis and subsequently treated with a combination of nitric oxide (NO) donor (cis-[Ru(bpy) 2imN(NO)](PF6)3) (Ru-NO), given by intraperitoneal injection, and oral Brazilian propolis for 30 days. Ru-NO reached the center of the lesion and increased the NO level in the injured hind paw without lesion exacerbation.

Experimental chemotherapy in paracoccidioidomycosis using ruthenium NO donor.

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a granulomatous disease caused by a dimorphic fungus, Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (Pb). To determine the influence of nitric oxide (NO) on this disease, we tested cis-[Ru(bpy)2(NO)SO3](PF6), ruthenium nitrosyl, which releases NO when activated by biological reducing agents, in BALB/c mice infected intravenously with Pb 18 isolate. In a previous study by our group, the fungicidal activity of ruthenium nitrosyl was evaluated in a mouse model of acute PCM, by measuring the immune cellular response (DTH), histopathological characteristics of the granulomatous lesions (and numbers), cytokines, and NO production.

Novel ruthenium complexes as potential drugs for Chagas's disease: enzyme inhibition and in vitro/in vivo trypanocidal activity.

Background And Purpose: The discovery of the pharmacological functions of nitric oxide has led to the development of NO donor compounds as therapeutic agents. A new generation of ruthenium NO donors, cis-[Ru(NO)(bpy)(2)L]X(n), has been developed, and our aim was to show that these complexes are able to lyse Trypanosoma cruzi in vitro and in vivo.

Experimental Approach: NO donors were incubated with T.

Complexation of the anti-Trypanosoma cruzi drug benznidazole improves solubility and efficacy.

The ruthenium complex, trans-[Ru(Bz)(NH 3) 4SO 2](CF 3SO 3) 2 1, Bz = benznidazole ( N-benzyl-2-(2-nitro-1 H-imidazol-1-yl)acetamide), is more hydrosoluble and more active (IC 50try/1 h = 79 +/- 3 microM) than free benznidazole 2 (IC 50try/1 h > 1 mM). 1 also exhibits low acute toxicity in vitro (IC 50macrophages > 1 mM) and in vivo (400 micromol/kg < LD 50 < 600 micromol/kg) and the formation of hydroxylamine is more favorable in 1 than in 2 by 9.6 kcal/mol.