Trypanocidal activity of free and nanoencapsulated curcumin on Trypanosoma evansi.

L T Gressler, C B Oliveira, K Coradini, L Dalla Rosa, T H Grando, M D Baldissera, C E Zimmermann, A S Da Silva, T C Almeida, C L Hermes, P Wolkmer, C B Silva, K L S Moreira, R C R Beck, R N Moresco, M L Da Veiga, L M Stefani, S G Monteiro

Index: Parasitology 142(3) , 439-48, (2015)

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Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate in vitro and in vivo trypanocidal activity of free and nanoencapsulated curcumin against Trypanosoma evansi. In vitro efficacy of free curcumin (CURC) and curcumin-loaded in lipid-core nanocapsules (C-LNCs) was evaluated to verify their lethal effect on T. evansi. To perform the in vivo tests, T. evansi-infected animals were treated with CURC (10 and 100 mg kg(-1), intraperitoneally [i.p.]) and C-LNCs (10 mg kg(-1), i.p.) during 6 days, with the results showing that these treatments significantly attenuated the parasitaemia. Infected untreated rats showed protein peroxidation and an increase of nitrites/nitrates, whereas animals treated with curcumin showed a reduction on these variables. As a result, the activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase) differs between groups (P<0.05). Infected animals and treated with CURC exhibited a reduction in the levels of alanine aminotransferase and creatinine, when compared with the positive control group. The use of curcumin in vitro resulted in a better parasitaemia control, an antioxidant activity and a protective effect on liver and kidney functions of T. evansi-infected adult male Wistar rats.