Virtual and experimental screening of phenylfuranchalcones as potential anti-Leishmania candidates.

Discovery of novel or repurposed chemical treatments for leishmaniasis is a priority given the limited number of therapeutic alternatives available. One way to accelerate the finding is by implementing virtual screening methodologies using structural information, with subsequent experimental validations. Here we tested a library of 48 phenylfuranchalcones as anti-Leishmania agents that can be associated to the potential inhibition of a protein target within the parasite.

Hybrid Molecules: Promising Compounds for the Development of New Treatments Against Leishmaniasis and Chagas Disease.

Leishmaniasis and Chagas disease are endemic pathologies in tropical countries. These cause high morbidity and a public health problem. Current chemotherapies are based on conventional drugs with variable efficacy and toxicity related with the length of therapeutic schemes and high doses.

Role of seed size, phenology, oogenesis and host distribution in the specificity and genetic structure of seed weevils (Curculio spp.) in mixed forests.

Synchrony between seed growth and oogenesis is suggested to largely shape trophic breadth of seed-feeding insects and ultimately to contribute to their co-existence by means of resource partitioning or in the time when infestation occurs. Here we investigated: (i) the role of seed phenology and sexual maturation of females in the host specificity of seed-feeding weevils (Curculio spp.) predating in hazel and oak mixed forests; and (ii) the consequences that trophic breadth and host distribution have in the genetic structure of the weevil populations.

Triclosan-caffeic acid hybrids: Synthesis, leishmanicidal, trypanocidal and cytotoxic activities.

The synthesis, cytotoxicity, anti-leishmanial and anti-trypanosomal activities of twelve triclosan-caffeic acid hybrids are described herein. The structure of the synthesized products was elucidated by a combination of spectrometric analyses. The synthesized compounds were evaluated against amastigotes forms of L.

Neotropical bats that co-habit with humans function as dead-end hosts for dengue virus.

Several studies have shown Dengue Virus (DENV) nucleic acids and/or antibodies present in Neotropical wildlife including bats, suggesting that some bat species may be susceptible to DENV infection. Here we aim to elucidate the role of house-roosting bats in the DENV transmission cycle. Bats were sampled in households located in high and low dengue incidence regions during rainy and dry seasons in Costa Rica.

Synthesis, leishmanicidal, trypanocidal and cytotoxic activity of quinoline-hydrazone hybrids.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis and Chagas disease are vector-borne parasitic disease causing serious risks to million people living in poverty-stricken areas. Both diseases are a major health problem in Latin America, and currently drugs for the effective treatment of these diseases have important concerns related with efficacy or toxicity than need to be addressed. We report herein the synthesis and biological activities (cytotoxicity, leishmanicidal and trypanocidal activities) of ten quinolone-hydrazone hybrids.

Antileishmanial Effect of 5,3'-Hydroxy-7,4'-dimethoxyflavanone of Picramnia gracilis Tul. (Picramniaceae) Fruit: In Vitro and In Vivo Studies.

Species of Picramnia genus are used in folk medicine to treat or prevent skin disorders, but only few species have been studied for biological activity and chemical composition. P. gracilis Tul.