Abstract

Leishmaniasis are a neglected tropical diseases that affecting 98 countries on three continents. Every year, 1.3 million of people are infected with the disease and 50.000 persons die because of this. The aim of this work was to evaluate antileishmanial activities in vitro from native species of South of Brazil belonging to the Myrtaceae family. The essential oils from leaves of Calyptranthes grandifolia, Calyptranthes tricona, Eugenia anomala, Eugenia arenosa, Eugenia pyriformis, Myrrhinium atropurpureum and Psidium salutare were analyzed in vitro for antileishmanial activity against promastigotes of Leishmania amazonensis, employed MTT assay. The essential oils from leaves of C. grandifolia, C. tricona, E. arenosa and E. pyriformis presented IC₅₀ values of 31.27 ± 6.40 µg/mL, 26.13 ± 8.60 µg/mL, 13.72 ± 8.65 µg/mL and 19.73 ± 5.40 µg/mL, respectively, and not are statistically different from pentamidine (IC₅₀ = 23.22 ± 9.04 µg/mL), the reference drug. The results show the potential of essential oils from leaves of C. grandifolia, C. tricona, E. arenosa and E. pyriformis as antileishmanial, as well as the importance of continuing studies to in order to advance in the search and development of new therapeutic options from of brazilian flora sources.

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