Evaluation of the anti-Leishmania mechanisms of Annona glabra L. (Annonaceae): A brief review

Daniel Lopes Araújo,Vinicius Santos Silva,Thaynara Hevellin Evangelista,Samanta De Abreu Gonçalves,Emanuel Osvaldo De Sousa,Allan Bruno Alves De Sousa Santos,Maria Carolina Oliveira Silva,Bruno Abilio Da Silva Machado,Célio Pereira De Sousa Júnior,Hilary Hevellin Evangelista,Geovana Maciel Lima,Antônio Antunes Neto

doi:10.33448/rsd-v10i8.17073

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania and characterized by the formation of skin ulcers. Despite the large number of cases, reaching worldwide proportions, there are many factors to be discussed regarding the treatment of the disease, which although much discussed, is still poorly elucidated. The objective of this review study is to identify the main anti-Leishmania mechanisms of Annona glabra L. (Annonaceae). This is a literature review study. To this end, we used the following descriptors in the search: natural products, leishmaniasis, mechanism of action and Leishmania (together and separately). In the selection criteria we opted for full articles, in the period 2012 - 2021 (last 10 years), in Portuguese and English. The searches were performed in the following databases: Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences (LILACS) and Google Scholar. The articles were selected first by title, then by abstract, and finally by complete reading. The potential of natural products and their use in traditional medicine for the treatment of diseases makes them the target of research for new drugs. Different Annona species have demonstrated antileishmanial activity when evaluated in vitro. The substances that show leishmanicidal activity in Annona glabra extract are the alkaloids. New studies can be developed to elucidate even more specifically the effects of this natural product in vivo, in an attempt to obtain a new pharmacological alternative for the treatment of leishmaniasis.

Highlights

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania and characterized by the formation of skin ulcers
To guide the integrative review, the following guiding question was formulated, "What is the scientific evidence in the literature on the anti-Leishmania mechanism of Annona glabra L.?" The search for primary studies was conducted according to the criteria and manuals of each database
Studies on A. glabra have demonstrated a large amount of compounds of diverse chemical nature present in extracts prepared from bark, stem, leaves and fruit with anti-inflammatory potential on Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) virus replication in lymphocytes, as a cytotoxic agent, trypanocidal, larvicidal, antimicrobial, vermifuge, sporicidal, analgesic, contraceptive, anti-inflammatory and anti-Leishmania (Rocha et al, 2017; Amarasingue et al, 2020)

Summary

Introduction

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania and characterized by the formation of skin ulcers It is considered a neglected disease because there is little interest from the pharmaceutical industry to design and develop new drugs for the chemotherapy of patients affected by this disease; this is probably due to the fact that there would be little financial return for the industries. It is associated with socioeconomic factors, such as poverty and malnutrition, poor access to adequate sanitation, and a malfunctioning immune system. Countries that concentrate the highest numbers of cases include Afghanistan, Algeria, Colombia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Pakistan, Peru, Saudi Arabia and Syrian Arab Republic, and Brazil (Who, 2018)

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