BIO074 Evaluation of leishmanicidal profile of ursolic acid

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is a group of tropical diseases caused by a number of species of protozoan parasites belonging to the genus Leishmania, and it affects around 12 million people in 88 countries. It is estimated that there are about two to three million new leishmaniasis cases each year, and that some 350 million people are at risk of infection. Historically, the chemotherapy of leishmaniasis has been based on the use of toxic heavy metals, particularly antimony compounds. When this kind of treatment is not effective, other medications are utilized, including pentamidine and amphotericin B. Previously, our group evaluated the activity of Miconia extracts and their isolated compounds like triterpenes acids against trypomastigotes forms of the Trypanosoma cruzi and found good results.