Nanostructured Lipid Carriers as Robust Systems for Lupeol Delivery in the Treatment of Experimental Visceral Leishmaniasis

Jéssica Adriana Jesus; Thays Nicolli Fragoso da Silva; Ilza Maria Oliveira Sousa; Aurea Favero Ferreira; Márcia Dalastra Laurenti; Paulo Cardoso da Costa; Domingos de Carvalho Ferreira; Luiz Felipe Domingues Passero

doi:10.3390/ph16121646

Pharmaceuticals (Nov 2023)

Nanostructured Lipid Carriers as Robust Systems for Lupeol Delivery in the Treatment of Experimental Visceral Leishmaniasis

Jéssica Adriana Jesus,
Thays Nicolli Fragoso da Silva,
Ilza Maria Oliveira Sousa,
Aurea Favero Ferreira,
Márcia Dalastra Laurenti,
Paulo Cardoso da Costa,
Domingos de Carvalho Ferreira,
Luiz Felipe Domingues Passero

Affiliations

Jéssica Adriana Jesus: Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Praça Infante Dom Henrique, s/n, São Vicente 11330-900, SP, Brazil
Thays Nicolli Fragoso da Silva: Laboratório de Patologia Clínica, Departamento de Patologia, Hospital das Clinicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 455, Cerqueira César, São Paulo 05403-000, SP, Brazil
Ilza Maria Oliveira Sousa: Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo, 126, Campinas 13083-871, SP, Brazil
Aurea Favero Ferreira: Laboratório de Patologia Clínica, Departamento de Patologia, Hospital das Clinicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 455, Cerqueira César, São Paulo 05403-000, SP, Brazil
Márcia Dalastra Laurenti: Laboratório de Patologia Clínica, Departamento de Patologia, Hospital das Clinicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 455, Cerqueira César, São Paulo 05403-000, SP, Brazil
Paulo Cardoso da Costa: UCIBIO, REQUIMTE, MEDTECH, Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Drug Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Domingos de Carvalho Ferreira: UCIBIO, REQUIMTE, MEDTECH, Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Drug Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Luiz Felipe Domingues Passero: Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Praça Infante Dom Henrique, s/n, São Vicente 11330-900, SP, Brazil

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ph16121646
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 16, no. 12
p. 1646

Abstract

Read online

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease that affects millions of people around the world. Available therapy causes severe side effects, has unacceptable prices for some specific formulations, and the existence of drug-resistant parasites limits the use of the currently available arsenal of antiparasitic drugs. Therefore, natural products serve as one of the main sources to develop new and effective alternative drugs against leishmaniasis. In this sense, the present study evaluated the potential of the triterpene Lupeol (Lu) entrapped in nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) for the treatment of experimental visceral leishmaniasis. The therapeutic efficacy of Lu or Lu entrapped in NLC (Lu-NLC) was investigated in golden hamsters infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum. Lu-NLC presented a mean particle size of 265.3 ± 4.6 nm, a polydispersity index of Leishmania IgG2 isotype. These data indicate that NLC potentialized Lu efficacy in experimental visceral leishmaniasis. This work suggests that Lu and nanoformulations carrying this compound may be considered as an important tool to be included in the alternative therapy of leishmaniasis.

Published in Pharmaceuticals

ISSN: 1424-8247 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Medicine: Pharmacy and materia medica
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/pharmaceuticals/

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords