Trypanocidal activity of the phenyl-substituted analogue of furamidine DB569 against Trypanosoma cruzi infection in vivo.

OBJECTIVES

Aromatic diamidines have been successfully used to combat a wide range of parasites that cause important human infections. One such compound is furamidine (DB75) and we recently reported that one of its analogues, an N-phenyl analogue (DB569), exhibits higher trypanocidal dose and time-dependent effects against different forms of Trypanosoma cruzi as compared with DB75. Our present aim was to investigate the efficacy of DB569 in a T. cruzi mouse model.

METHODS

The trypanocidal activity of the compound was evaluated by clinical, parasitological, histopathological and biochemical investigations.

RESULTS

Treatment with DB569 significantly reduced cardiac parasitism, partially increased the survival rates of mice and lowered the levels of alanine aminotransferase and creatinine indicating a protective role against renal and hepatic lesions caused by the parasite infection.

CONCLUSIONS

Altogether, the data support the potential effect of this class of compounds against T. cruzi and motivate the screening of new diamidines for efficacy against Chagas' disease.