(•)NO is considered to be a key macrophage-derived cytotoxic effector during Trypanosoma cruzi infection. On the other hand, the microbicidal properties of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are well recognized, but little importance has been attributed to them during in vivo infection with T. cruzi.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe investigated the influence of CD4(+) T lymphocytes, CD8(+) T lymphocytes, and B lymphocytes on the efficacy of posaconazole (POS) and the reference drug benznidazole (BZ) during treatment of acute Trypanosoma cruzi infection in a murine model. Wild-type mice infected with T. cruzi and treated with POS or BZ presented no parasitemia, 100% survival, and 86 to 89% cure rates, defined as the percentages of animals with negative hemocultures at the end of the observation period.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe have investigated the influences of gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-12 (IL-12) on the efficacy of posaconazole (POS) treatment of acute experimental infections with Trypanosoma cruzi; the standard drug, benznidazole (BZ), was used as a positive control. Wild-type (WT) mice infected with T. cruzi and treated with POS or BZ had no parasitemia, 100% survival, and cure rates of 86 to 89%.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe natural lignans veraguensin and grandisin have been reported to be active against Trypanosoma cruzi bloodstream forms. Aiming at the total synthesis of these and related compounds, we prepared three 2-arylfurans and eight 2,5-diarylfurans. They were evaluated for their potential as T.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFourteen compounds were evaluated for their activity against Trypanosoma cruzi blood stream forms at the concentration of 500 g/ml. Six compounds were active and re-tested at lower concentrations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStudies in humans and in experimental models suggest the involvement of the immune system for efficacy of drug treatment against protozoan parasites. This study tested this hypothesis by using various cytokine and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) knockout (KO) mice infected with Trypanosoma cruzi and treated with benznidazole. In contrast with the 100% parasitologic cure rate achieved in wild-type animals, benznidazole failed to cure 100%, 42%, 35%, and 28% of interferon-gamma, interleukin-12 (protein 40), protein 55-tumor necrosis factor receptor, and iNOS KO mice, respectively.
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