Abstract
The essential oils obtained from leaves of Piper duckei and Piper demeraranum by hydrodistillation were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The main constituents found in P. demeraranum oil were limonene (19.3%) and β-elemene (33.1%) and in P. duckei oil the major components found were germacrene D (14.7%) and trans-caryophyllene (27.1%). P. demeraranum and P. duckei oils exhibited biological activity, with IC50 values between 15 to 76 μg mL−1 against two Leishmania species, P. duckei oil being the most active. The cytotoxicity of the essential oils on mice peritoneal macrophage cells was insignificant, compared with the toxicity of pentamidine. The main mono- and sesquiterpene, limonene (IC50 = 278 μM) and caryophyllene (IC50 = 96 μM), were tested against the strains of Leishmania amazonensis, and the IC50 values of these compounds were lower than those found for the essential oils of the Piper species. The HET-CAM test was used to evaluate the irritation potential of these oils as topical products, showing that these oils can be used as auxiliary medication in cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis, with less side effects and lower costs.
Highlights
Leishmaniasis, one of the parasitic diseases spread worldwide, with about 12 million infected people, presents an increasing number of new cases [1]
P. aduncum and P. obliquum, with interesting results. In this context, encouraged and inspired by reports that show the activity of Piper species against leishmaniasis, and by a few reports on P. demeraranum and P. duckei [26,27,28], we decided to carry out a study on these two species with frequent distribution in the Amazonas state of Brazilian Amazonia. This present study investigated the chemical composition, antileishmanial and cytotoxic activities and irritation potential, through in vivo CAM assays, of essential oils obtained from leaves of
Aromatic compounds are common constituents in the essential oils produced by the Piperaceae species, none were detected in the oils analyzed
Summary
Leishmaniasis, one of the parasitic diseases spread worldwide, with about 12 million infected people, presents an increasing number of new cases [1]. P. aduncum and P. obliquum, with interesting results In this context, encouraged and inspired by reports that show the activity of Piper species against leishmaniasis, and by a few reports on P. demeraranum and P. duckei [26,27,28], we decided to carry out a study on these two species with frequent distribution in the Amazonas state of Brazilian Amazonia. This present study investigated the chemical composition, antileishmanial and cytotoxic activities and irritation potential, through in vivo CAM assays, of essential oils obtained from leaves of. Two main constituents, (−) limonene and caryophyllene, were tested against strains of Leishmania amazonensis
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