In vitro tripanocidal effect of 1,8-dioxooctahydroxanthenes (xanthenodiones) and tetraketones and improvement of cardiac parameters in vivo

Abstract Objetive Trypanosoma cruzi infection affects millions of people worldwide, and the drugs available for its treatment have limited efficacy. 1,8-dioxooctahydroxanthenes and tetraketones are compounds with important biological applications. The aim of this study was to assess the trypanocidal and inflammatory activities of nine 1,8-dioxooctahydroxanthenes (1–9) and three tetraketones (10–12). Methods and results By in vitro killing assay, three compounds were able to eliminate CL TdTomato expressing strain of T. cruzi, 9 (IC50 = 30.65 μM), 10 (IC50 = 14.11 μM), and 11 (IC50 = 26.43 μM). However, only 9 was not toxic to Vero cells. Next, to evaluate the in vivo antitrypanossomal and immunological efficacy of 9, Swiss mice were infected with the Y and CL strains of T. cruzi and treated for 10 days with 50 mg/kg of 9. This compound reduced the cardiac inflammatory infiltration in animals infected with both strains. RankL, CCL2, and IFN-γ were measured in the cardiac tissue homogenate of the Y-strain-infected animals, and no interference of 9 was observed. However, compound 9 increased the RankL and IL-10 levels in CL-infected mice. No hepatic and renal toxicity was observed. Conclusion Our findings showed that 1,8-dioxooctahydroxanthene has anti-parasitic effect and ameliorates the cardiac inflammatory parameters related to T. cruzi infection.